TOMBOY
by Dreameress
Summary: Serena, the tomboy, is just one of the guys. Until her best friend becomes her head-long crush. And so POOF! With the help of her new match-maker friends, Serena becomes the woman she always wanted to be. But how will Darinen react to this new Serena?
1. Love blossoms

TOMBOY  
  
It was going to rain. Looking at the dark gray clouds   
  
hurrying to cover the every-once-in-a-while sun, lights of   
  
excitement danced in Serena's eyes. This was going to be a   
  
great game.   
  
Tucking her faded blue button up shirt in her flayed   
  
jean shorts, she walked with an arrogant stride, her chin   
  
held high. She would win, show all of them who was boss. She   
  
reached up to make sure all of her hair was securely tucked   
  
in her washed out baseball cap.  
  
Reaching the edge of the dark field of Juuban Park,   
  
she stopped once and looked back, weighing the outcome on her   
  
shoulders. She could go home. It was what one would expect   
  
from a girl. But not Serena. She would fight to the end.   
  
And with that thought, Serena ran toward the field.  
  
"Wait!!!" she yelled, not at all out of breath, not a   
  
quiver in her high pitched voice. She looked over them, an   
  
I-know-I'm-better-than-you look masking her face. "You didn't   
  
expect me not to play because of a little rain did ya?" she   
  
asked, grinning confidently.  
  
Groans sounded from the crowd of teenagers huddled in   
  
the field. They all knew she was going to show up. No way   
  
Serena would miss a game like this.  
  
"Alright, you're on Darien's team as usual," said   
  
Ken, pointing a finger toward the left side of the field. He   
  
looked back at Serena, his eyes serious and searching. "No   
  
tricky stuff this time Serena,"  
  
"Don't worry, I wouldn't do anything you wouldn't   
  
do," she said as she strutted toward her team. Her face full   
  
of determination and smugness, she ran to her group who had   
  
already started the huddle. She eyed her teammates with a   
  
look that meant mischief and sometimes trouble, a brilliant   
  
smile on her face. "Let's play ball!"  
  
Ken strode away to his own team, muttering to   
  
himself. Serena would do just that, and more. Anything he do   
  
his foot!  
  
Damn it, thought Lita as she searched the bleachers   
  
for her raincoat. It was going to rain. And those crazy fools   
  
were playing football in the rain like monkeys.   
  
As she looked over the crowd, Lita Charleston smiled to   
  
herself watching the guys and the infamous blond play   
  
football. Serena was a tough one, tough as bricks. She was   
  
always doing everything with the guys, acting like guys, and   
  
if she ever came to school in a skirt, it was a definite fact   
  
that the whole male population would faint or have a heart   
  
attack.  
  
Some people were just born with the wrong genes. And   
  
that was precisely the case when it came to Serena Tsukino.   
  
With her blue eyes, the only noticeable female feature, she   
  
looked like her sex was just a mistake or a joke that god had   
  
played on the world.  
  
It was strange that Serena hadn't outgrown her tomboy   
  
stage. Lita had been there, done that, and moved on a long   
  
time ago and it amused her endlessly to see a 16 year old   
  
girl still a tomboy. But, Lita thought to herself, maybe she   
  
was biased.   
  
Lita's attention reared back to field as she heard a   
  
heartfelt yowl and several groans coming from the field.   
  
Curious, she shaded her eyes so she could see better.  
  
"Serena, you can't do that, it's against the rules,"   
  
came the voice of Greg.   
  
He was standing there looking at Andrew who was   
  
moaning on the ground. She saw Serena with a lost innocent   
  
look on her face.  
  
"But, he was in my way and I had the football. I was   
  
running really fast and-" she paused for a dramatic effect,   
  
"my foot just hit him in the balls-"  
  
"Serena, you know exactly what you did," Darien cut   
  
in, holding back his own smile, "No more tricky stuff   
  
meatball head. Let's play on,"   
  
Then, hardly sparing Andrew a glance as he walked back to his   
  
station on the field, he said "Andrew, on your feet, Serena's   
  
done worse before."   
  
Lita turned back to the bleachers, continuing her   
  
search. That was Serena all right. She was admirable, even if   
  
she was a man at heart. A woman was a woman and that was all   
  
there was to it. Even if they didn't want to acknowledge the   
  
fact themselves.  
  
Finding her coat, Lita muttered "aha!" and picked up her   
  
drink. She sighed as she took a sip from her orange juice.   
  
She looked back at the field where Serena threw a long pass   
  
toward Chad. Wouldn't it be strange, she thought as she   
  
savored the wonderful taste of the drink, if Serena actually   
  
wanted to be a woman? Oh how the world would be turned   
  
around. 


	2. Awakening

Turning up the concrete driveway to Serena's two   
  
story house, Darien stopped the car. He turned to Serena who   
  
was adjusting her baseball cap, making sure no hair escaped   
  
it.   
  
"Time to go Sere," he said, watching her amused. Ever   
  
since Serena turned 16, she always wore that cap and never   
  
stopped adjusting it. It was kind of amusing to see that in   
  
some kind of twisted way Serena was worried about her hair.  
  
"Thanks Dare, I'll see ya tomorrow. Don't forget the   
  
basketball game," she said, hopping out of the jazzy red   
  
convertible.   
  
Darien was halfway out of the driveway when he heard   
  
Serena call out to him.  
  
"Hey Dare! You want to come in for a snack or drink or somethin'?"   
  
Darien smiled and shook his head. "No thanks," he   
  
yelled over the sound of his engine, "I'll see ya tomorrow,"   
  
and honked as he headed out of the driveway.  
  
That was Sere, and she had been one of his best   
  
friends since forever. To him, she was just one of the guys.   
  
He never thought of her outside of that. Serena wasn't any   
  
ordinary girl to him, she was even better. She was Sere, the   
  
male female. Not that he didn't consider her a girl, but you   
  
just couldn't think about Serena that way. She wasn't one of   
  
those female types who flirted and flitted about. The one's   
  
with the luscious bodies, and curves. Serena hardly had any   
  
curves and she should have been born male.   
  
Turning up the radio he drove on toward his house.  
  
Standing in front of the mirror in her bathroom,   
  
Serena looked over herself. Still dressed in her football   
  
garbs, Serena was muddy and wet. She pushed forward to give   
  
herself a better view and then frowned. She was ugly and   
  
there was nothing she could do about it. Her violet eyes were   
  
okay but her nose was too big and took up her whole face. Her   
  
mouth was too big and her ears were too small.   
  
Frowning at her reflection, Serena threw off her   
  
baseball cap and stared at her golden hair. It ran down her   
  
back and reached mid thigh in waves and curls and this was   
  
the only thing Serena liked about her appearance.  
  
A year ago, when she had noticed that her hair was   
  
somewhat long, she decided not to cut it. She didn't want   
  
anyone thinking she was feminine or something. That would   
  
ruin everything. Especially, since she secretly wanted to   
  
look like a female.  
  
She would always look wistfully at the full figured   
  
supermodel-looking girls that her friends went out with and   
  
hated herself for it. She felt as she was betraying herself.   
  
She was supposed to be Serena and she was not supposed to be   
  
all prissy and sissy like those other females at her school.   
  
But nor could she deny the fact that she actually wished she   
  
had a figure like that or that some guy would look at her   
  
like they looked at Mina Charleston, one of the supermodels   
  
of her school.   
  
Shaking the thought out of her head, Serena took off   
  
her shirt and looked at her red line across her chest, over   
  
the tape. Slowly, so it wouldn't hurt, Serena took the tape   
  
off her chest. She had decided a long time ago that she   
  
didn't need boobs interfering when she was with her friends,   
  
and they were uncomfortable to play football with. They were   
  
also too big for her liking and she taped them down every   
  
day.   
  
She looked into the mirror again. Her boobs were way   
  
too big. She wore a thirty-six C which was getting harder and   
  
harder to tape down every day.   
  
Serena glared at her reflection which was not to her   
  
liking. She didn't look like a girl but she didn't look like   
  
a guy. She was just an it. She wanted to be like the other   
  
girls at her school, not some disfigured IT!! And, she was   
  
too ugly to try. When the tears filled her eyes, Serena   
  
viciously wiped them away. Crying was for sissies. She never   
  
cried.   
  
In anguish, Serena ran to her bed, jumped under the   
  
covers and closed her eyes, hoping she wouldn't be dreaming   
  
about being pretty again. She couldn't and never would be   
  
considered pretty.  
  
The school was crowded and Serena sighed. She didn't   
  
like to be crowded, pushed in a group. There was never enough   
  
air. Especially at lunchtime.  
  
She was only sixteen, didn't have a car, and stuck on   
  
the school campus for lunch today. All the guys had probably   
  
already gone to lunch. She sighed again, adjusting her blue   
  
cap and walking toward the cafeteria.  
  
She was halfway down the long line when she felt   
  
someone tap her one the shoulder. She glared, sucked in a   
  
breath about to spit fire when she turned to see that it was   
  
Darien.  
  
"Yo Dare."  
  
"Hey Meatball head." He smirked at her, his blue eyes   
  
light with humor. He looked so nice at the moment that Serena   
  
actually gave a thought to her appearance. With her boyish   
  
hat and light freckles, she looked like a boy at the moment.   
  
No curves could be seen in her loose fitting brown t-shirt   
  
and baggy jeans. Stop it, she scolded herself, then lifted an   
  
eyebrow at him.  
  
"What are you doing here at lunch?"  
  
He rolled his eyes. "I thought you and I had a game   
  
of basketball on schedule but hey, if you don't want to-"  
  
"No way, I'm up for it."  
  
"Alright, meet me at the courts."  
  
Serena nodded, then watched him walk away. She sighed   
  
into her turkey sandwich. Realizing her thoughts, Serena   
  
looked back at Darien's retreating form with owlish eyes.   
  
Since when had she looked at him in this way?? She shook her   
  
head, laughing at herself. He was just Dare, her best friend.   
  
But the same thought was lingering on her mind when   
  
she entered the basketball court. She saw him there, playing   
  
with a couple of other guys. He turned and looked at her,   
  
then smiled. And the whole world shook. She stopped suddenly   
  
and looked at Darien like she never had before. His jet black   
  
hair fell over his eyes, and her hands itched to push it   
  
away. He had a strong jaw, midnight blue eyes, a charming   
  
smile and his nose was handsomely crooked from a broken nose   
  
she had given him years before. Why hadn't she noticed this   
  
before? When other girls said that Darien was a hunk, Serena   
  
just thought of them as crazy blind females, but now she   
  
suddenly saw him as every other girl saw him. He was   
  
gorgeous.  
  
She looked him up and down with her eyes, seeing his   
  
full six pack through his tight white t-shirt. She had seen   
  
his chest so many times and never gave a second thought but   
  
now she was noticing. He was sleek like a panther or tiger.   
  
Graceful and agile enough for one not to expect the attack.   
  
When her eyes returned to his face, she found herself   
  
looking back into his eyes. She blushed, there was no way she   
  
could stop it. He had caught her and she had to think fast or   
  
she could be ruined. She smiled, bravado etched into her   
  
poise like a label.   
  
"You ready to play??"  
  
"Yes…" he trailed off, not sure what to say. Did he   
  
or did he not just see Serena the she-male, checking him out?   
  
"Serena-" He started but she was already off towards the   
  
court.   
  
He shook his head, laughing at his thoughts. Serena,   
  
she wasn't that type of girl. She was so much like a guy, it   
  
would be impossible for her to be checking him out at the   
  
moment. She wasn't gay or anything but Serena was Serena. And   
  
she would not be checking anyone out at the moment.  
  
He laughed out loud as he walked after the retreating   
  
Serena. 


	3. Unexpected

Serena stared at the stars in the midnight sky. It   
  
was dark, the black cloak of night covering the evening sky.  
  
It was such a pretty site, she decided. And it took her   
  
thoughts away from Darien for sometime.   
  
She lay back on the grassy hill under her favorite   
  
tree and sighed. She couldn't understand herself lately, she   
  
was seeing Darien like she had never seen him before and this   
  
morning she had caught herself attempting to wear her hair   
  
down to school. Lucky for herself, she caught herself just in   
  
time and bunched it all under her cap. A pang hit her   
  
stomach, and she realized that there was really a female   
  
under all of the masculinity of her clothing, of her   
  
appearance. And, it was just showing up.   
  
She banged her fists on the ground. Why couldn't it   
  
have happened when all of the normal girls were becoming   
  
girls? Why couldn't she have been feeling all of these   
  
disturbing feelings then?  
  
A groan stirred her from her thoughts. She sat up,   
  
then looked in the direction of the noise. At first she   
  
thought it was some kind of intruder, then she remembered   
  
that she was at the park. She almost laughed at herself until   
  
she found the source of the noise. It was Darien and some   
  
girl from school. They were latched onto each other like   
  
Velcro, kissing and hugging and groaning.  
  
A noticeable flush stained Serena's cheeks as she   
  
watched them. Instead of being repulsed she was somehow   
  
wishing that she were the one lip locked with him under the   
  
starry night. And, Serena almost fainted at her thoughts   
  
alone. What was happening to her? She got up quickly and hid   
  
behind the tree. She leaned back against the other side of   
  
the tree trunk so that she couldn't see them and they   
  
couldn't see her.   
  
She was mortified to say the least. At her thoughts   
  
and at her reaction. What was the world coming to when Serena   
  
Tsukino wanted to be kissed. And that small female part of   
  
her answered. It was the longing that she had always had,   
  
never acknowledged. She banged her head against the tree in   
  
frustration and admitted begrudgingly that her conscience was   
  
right.   
  
But how in the world did a she-male reform back to   
  
the female she was born as??  
  
It was Sunday again. Serena got out of bed, groggy   
  
from the little sleep she had gotten the night before. Her   
  
mind was clouded with thoughts of him, there was no room for   
  
sleep. She looked at the clock, then jumped out of bed when   
  
she saw she only had 10 minutes until the football game   
  
started. She had to get dressed and get to the park.  
  
She ran into the bathroom, grabbed her toothbrush and   
  
brushed her teeth as she jumped in the shower. She 5 minutes   
  
later, she was out of the shower, dragging on her clothes and   
  
a rubber band. In her hurry she grabbed the first hat that   
  
she had seen on her shelf, then raced out of the door,   
  
muttering a greeting and goodbye to her mother.   
  
She reached the park out of breath and red and pissed   
  
as ever. She was definitely ready to play today. The guys   
  
were gathered around, choosing teams. She walked as fast as   
  
she could to the group.  
  
Andrew looked up as Serena joined the group. He   
  
smiled viciously at Serena and she almost laughed.   
  
"Alright, so Darien for his team, and I am captain   
  
for mine."  
  
There was a murmur of assent.   
  
"We'll choose our team members."  
  
There was another murmur of agreement and the   
  
choosing began.  
  
Andrew went first and with a glare in Serena's   
  
direction, he said, "Serena."  
  
Serena almost choked. What was with him?? She had   
  
always been on Darien's team. She rolled her eyes and walked   
  
to Andrews side, not even sparing a look at the man who had   
  
spent more time than he should have in her clouded mind.   
  
Darien just looked oddly at Serena, then lifted an   
  
eyebrow in Andrews direction. They continued to choose their   
  
teammates.  
  
The teams were ready and set. There were 7 people on   
  
each team.  
  
Serena was on the offensive team.   
  
Darien's team kicked off, and Ken caught the ball and   
  
started running. The other teammates blocked for him. Darien   
  
tackled him at the 40 yard line. They huddled.  
  
"Okay, so here how it's going to be guys. And girl."   
  
Serena just glared at him. "Go ahead Andrew."  
  
"I'm going to hand off the ball to you Serena. You   
  
have the speed and agility to get us to the seventy or eighty   
  
yard line. I want Ken to run at the same time in the same   
  
direction so that they are confused. That should give you   
  
enough time to gain some speed Serena. Then you run like   
  
hell. Got it?"  
  
Serena nodded, and they set up.  
  
"Go. Set. Hike!"  
  
Ken ran towards Andrew, Serena ran towards   
  
Andrew. They both came out looking like they had the   
  
football. Some of Darien's teammates started following Ken,   
  
then they realized he didn't have the ball and went after   
  
Serena. Darien was on Serena's tail and she was 5 yards from   
  
the 60. She ran harder.   
  
Darien was gaining and suddenly, out of nowhere,   
  
Serena's hat flew off of her head.  
  
"Shit." She said to the wind furiously but ran   
  
anyways. Darien tackled her at the 70 yard line.  
  
They were both rolling on the ground and Serena held   
  
onto the football. Darien was on top of her and Serena stared   
  
into his fathomless blue eyes, her hair fanned around her   
  
head. He looked so beautiful at that moment, Serena's heart   
  
ached. Time seemed to stop and she was drawn into the depth   
  
of his eyes. Darien's face inched towards her. Then, like the   
  
suddenness of the contact, he backed away. He grinned, but it   
  
didn't reach his eyes.  
  
"Nice hair." He jumped off of her and headed over to   
  
his group.  
  
Serena was still in shock, laying on the ground. Was   
  
he going to kiss her or something?? Why did he move in like   
  
that?  
  
So many questions. She saw Andrew hovering above her,   
  
smiling.  
  
"I've never seen you with so much hair Serena." He   
  
held out a hand and helped her up.  
  
Serena laughed, trying to ease the tension in her   
  
stomach.  
  
"Yeah, yeah. Where's my hat?"  
  
Later that night, Serena sat in her tree, eating her   
  
tuna fish sandwich. She was pondering over the same thing she   
  
had been thinking of for weeks when that very same "thing"   
  
showed up at her door.  
  
His hand was raised to knock when Serena called out   
  
to him.  
  
He turned, not smiling. He just stared at her. Then   
  
he shook his head and headed over to the tree.   
  
"Hey Serena."  
  
Something was wrong, Serena thought.   
  
"Just a sec, Dare. I'll be right down."  
  
"You don't have to-" He started but Serena was   
  
already halfway down. Then, by some sordid twist of fate, her   
  
foot slipped three branches from the last and Serena fell   
  
from the tree.  
  
It didn't hurt that much and that wasn't the main   
  
problem. Serena's shirt had ripped on the way down and it was   
  
open showing the tape around her breasts. She jumped off the   
  
ground and looked at Darien. He was staring at the tape in   
  
shock. Astonishment was written into his features as he   
  
stared her down. Once again, her hat had fallen off, and here   
  
she was, the Serena that she had hidden so many times.  
  
Serena glared at Darien, yanking her shirt closed and   
  
walking past him to her house. She started as his hand snaked   
  
around her wrist.   
  
"Serena. Are you okay?"  
  
Serena gathered her courage and faced him.   
  
Bewilderment was written for everyone to see in his cerulean   
  
eyes.   
  
"Yes." She blushed, she couldn't help it.  
  
"Why are there tape over your… breasts?" Darien   
  
almost choked on the words. He never imagined Serena with   
  
breasts, let along taped ones.  
  
"Umm… It's none of your business."  
  
"Isn't that unhealthy Serena? I mean.." he trailed   
  
off.  
  
Serena looked away.   
  
"I guess it's not healthy. It's just that I look like   
  
some kind of horse with out it taped. I hate it because they   
  
bounce when I run, even if I'm wearing a sports bra, and   
  
they-" she broke off appalled at herself. Why was she telling   
  
him this?  
  
Without warning, Darien doubled over into hysterical   
  
laughter. He didn't know if he was mental or if the situation   
  
was really that funny. But something struck a cord that   
  
started him laughing and he couldn't stop.  
  
Serena blushed in anger and embarrassment.  
  
"Shut the hell up you jerk. Just shut it. I swear   
  
I'll-"  
  
He fell on the ground, gasping for breath.   
  
"I'll kill you, you arrogant jerk. You don't know   
  
anything. I'll shoot you. I'll-"  
  
"Serena-" he finally managed to say though his peals   
  
of laughter. "I don't know why it's so funny so if you will   
  
excuse me, I think I'll just be heading home." He laughed   
  
even harder.  
  
A red haze clouded Serena's vision and she tackled   
  
him. She was furious. Darien's laughter quickly stopped. He   
  
stared at Serena who was over him, glaring at him with her   
  
ripped shirt. He didn't think this was funny anymore.  
  
"Serena, I think you better get off of me."  
  
"Oh yeah?" She lifted an eyebrow in mockery.  
  
"Yes. Or else."  
  
"Or else what?"  
  
She didn't see it coming. His hand reached for the   
  
tape at her breast and pulled it off. Mortified, Serena   
  
jumped off of him.   
  
"That." He said, but his eyes were focused on her   
  
breasts. Now with no tape, they were much larger than he had   
  
expected. In facet, he had never even imagined Serena had   
  
breasts so seeing them in the plain white bra was shocking   
  
enough.   
  
Serena blushed and closed her shirt.   
  
"I told you, I'm a cow." She looked away, into the   
  
distance.   
  
"Serena, your definitely not a cow."   
  
Serena turned sharply. His voice was different. It   
  
was deeper somehow and it sent delicious chills down her   
  
spine.   
  
"What do you know. I'm leaving Darien. I don't even   
  
know why you came here."  
  
"Wait. I wanted to… apologize. About that incident on   
  
the field. I'm sorry, I mean I was… well I just wanted to say   
  
sorry."  
  
Serena blushed again, scolded herself for it, and   
  
then smiled up at him.  
  
"I know my hair was probably some kind of shock but   
  
it's okay Darien. You didn't do anything but tackle me."  
  
And with that, she walked back into her house.  
  
Darien stared after her wondering about this new   
  
Serena he was seeing, and about the changes he was seeing in   
  
himself. He wasn't quite sure how everything was adding up   
  
and he wasn't up to thinking about it at the moment. 


	4. Complicated

Serena sighed, then braced herself for the long lunch line. The debated to   
  
herself. To buy or not to buy, that was the question. She sighed, she didn't   
  
need to eat this lunch. She wasn't that hungry and her stomach churned every   
  
time she came in proximity with Darien.   
  
She decided to wander around the school. She was wearing blue shorts and a white   
  
t-shirt. Her hat was dark blue. She was thinking of Darien.   
  
She was startled when she saw him from the bench that she sat on. He was talking   
  
to this gorgeous redhead. Serena studied the girl and felt a pang of envy that   
  
she was so pretty. A pang of jealousy hit her as she saw the girl curl around   
  
Darien like a snake. They were walking towards his car. She wanted to cry,   
  
wanted to make herself become the woman she was born to be. But she didn't know   
  
how to do it.   
  
She laid back on the bench, still watching. As if he had felt her staring,   
  
Darien turned in her direction. Serena blushed and looked up at the sky. Things   
  
were all going wrong. She didn't know what to do.   
  
A few moments later, Darien came up to her. Serena pretended not to see   
  
him.  
  
"Serena."  
  
She turned, then smiled but it didn't reach her eyes.   
  
"Yes?"  
  
He looked like he was going to ask her something different but instead he   
  
said, "Can you scoot over so I can sit?"  
  
Serena sat up and scooted to the side. When he sat down, she leaned on his   
  
shoulder and closed her eyes.  
  
Darien was startled. Her strawberry scent invaded his senses and she   
  
didn't feel very male with her head resting on his shoulder.   
  
"We've known each other for a long time right?"  
  
Serena yawned. "Yes. Darien, can I ask you a question?"  
  
"Sure, but umm.. yeah go ahead."  
  
She yawned again."Promise not to laugh?"  
  
"Just ask the damn question Sere, So I can get on with what I wanted to   
  
say before I forget."  
  
She snuggled in closer, feeling comforted by his masculine frame. She   
  
wanted to lay like this forever. But forever could only last so long. She   
  
sighed.  
  
"Do you think my nose is too big?"  
  
Darien choked on air. He coughed, took a deep breath, and looked at   
  
Serena. "What?!?!"   
  
Serena, unfazed, repeated the question.  
  
"What kind of question is that?"  
  
"Forget it okay?!?" She moved away from him and was about to stand up when   
  
he pushed her back down.  
  
"Why would you want to know anyways?" He ran a frustrated hand through his   
  
raven locks. "Serena, you're getting stranger every day. I don't know what is   
  
happening to you." His voice was a bit panicked and Serena fought tears. The   
  
words were harmless but they hurt anyways.  
  
She let anger take the place of her sadness.  
  
"I said forget it!" Serena jumped off the bench and started running. What   
  
a fool she was to think she would get an honest opinion from him! She wanted to   
  
cry. She wanted to yell. She wanted to get the hell away from him so that she   
  
didn't have to be tempted with all of these female thoughts. He could have just   
  
given her a straight answer. But he had to delve, Darien the delver. Never let   
  
anything sit. DELVE, DELVE, AND DELVE!!  
  
She sighed in defeat. He didn't think of her as a girl so he couldn't form   
  
an opinion on her nose. It was probably like one of his other friends asking if   
  
their outfit made them look fat. She was just another guy to him. He would never   
  
look at her the way he looked at other girls like that redhead he was curled up   
  
with. She was all curves and beautiful. So unlike the dowdy cow of herself.  
  
She stopped running when she reached the tree on the other side of school.   
  
And she couldn't prevent the lonely tear from falling down her face. She didn't   
  
attempt to wipe it away.  
  
"Serena!! Wait!" She heard Darien say, unexpectedly close. He sounded   
  
regretful, bewildered. She felt guilty but angered at the same time. She sank   
  
down, under the tree, resting her head on her knees.  
  
"Serena," He reached the tree, then sat beside her. His voice was gentle   
  
and Serena didn't want to hear it. Another tear fell down her face. She sniffed   
  
then held her breath, not wanting him to see her cry.  
  
Darien, with a gentle hand, lifted her face from her knees and stared   
  
wildly at the tears that were there. His stomach churned in response for he   
  
truly didn't' know what was happening. He had never seen Serena cry so… easily   
  
before, and yet, it might not have been for the reasons that he was thinking.   
  
But she was so unpredictable these days, not the same Serena who had come to him   
  
saying that she could spit not only as well as him but further. This was some   
  
stranger that he had never seen. And it was scaring to death that she had   
  
changed without him noticing a thing.   
  
He wanted to see her, as she was now. He studied her seeing her trying to   
  
stop herself from crying. Her eyes, violet and beautiful, shone with unshed   
  
tears. The nose in question, that had brought this to this, was perfect for her   
  
face, not too big or too small with a pointy edge. Her lips were very soft and   
  
kissable.  
  
Kissable!?! What was he doing? He was mortified at the fact that he was   
  
just now checking out his best friend. She was Serena, no matter how weird she   
  
started to act. There was no changing that fact and he couldn't change anything   
  
unless he found out what was the cause of this stranger in his best friends   
  
place. And her lips weren't kissable.   
  
"Darien, could you please leave me here alone?"  
  
Serena's voice was surprisingly fragile and Darien couldn't bear it. He   
  
couldn't take it anymore.  
  
"What's with you Serena. You're acting so strange I almost don't recognize   
  
you!! What happened to Serena my best friend?" He shouted, furiously.   
  
"She's still there Darien. She's there alright and she's changing because she   
  
can't stand what she is-" shocked at what she said and furious beyond belief she   
  
closed her mouth. "Just leave me the fuck alone Darien. I'm leaving and you   
  
better not follow me."  
  
She pushed past him and he grabbed her wrist. She turned around, her eyes bright   
  
with anger and some other feeling Darien didn't, couldn't, recognize. He   
  
panicked.   
  
"Is that how your going to handle this Serena? You're just going to walk away!??   
  
Just leave like a wimpy little girl?" His eyes darkened to a dangerous level   
  
filled with all compassing fury. "Then leave." His voice was dark and dangerous,   
  
bordering scary and Serena was startled to realize the depths of his fury.   
  
"I will. I will leave like a wimpy little girl because now and days, you're not   
  
the only who cant recognize me. I can't recognize myself." She whispered in an   
  
almost inaudible voice; then turned and walked away.  
  
Darien stared after her, confused and hurt. Although, he didn't know why, he was   
  
more concerned with Serena than his other friends, and feeling more for her than   
  
he'd ever felt about anyone. He wouldn't think about that now.  
  
He ran a frustrated hand through his hair, staring blankly into the   
  
distance under the big willow tree. 


	5. The Beginning

Serena paced around her room. She stopped at the window above her   
  
computer and stared, wondering. What was she going to do??   
  
Restless, she walked to her Queen sized bed and sat. She took a   
  
nervous look at the phone on her nightstand. Should she call him. She   
  
looked at her clock. 8:09. Would he be home?   
  
Her hand reached out to grab the phone. Her mind put the phone   
  
back down. What was she going to say to him?? She had no clue. Stop   
  
being a wimp, she told her self. Never in her life had she hesitated to   
  
call her best friend. She knew his number like she knew that 2 plus 2   
  
equaled four. How was she going to solve this??  
  
She grabbed the phone. She dialed his number and felt a pang of   
  
uneasiness as each ring came through.  
  
"Hello?" came the voice of Darien's mom on the line.  
  
"Hi Mrs. Chiba. Is Darien there?"  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry Serena, you just missed him."  
  
"Oh, okay. Thanks. Bye."  
  
"Bye."  
  
Serena hung up the phone. Where was Darien?? Was he on a date?   
  
She closed her eyes. She didn't want to think about that. But he   
  
wouldn't get off of her mind and she had to do something.   
  
Basketball. Serena jumped off the bed and quickly changed into   
  
her basketball shorts. She looked out of the window, opened it up   
  
feeling a torrent of warm air. It was too hot to wear a t-shit. She   
  
would wear a sports bra.   
  
She headed out of the house 5 minutes later, yelling a quick   
  
'goodbye' to her mom as she headed out of the door. And for the first   
  
time, she had not worn her hair in a hat. She had it pulled back into a   
  
bun. She dribbled the ball as she walked to the park.   
  
There was no one there when she arrived. She smiled. She had   
  
wanted to play alone anyway. She opened the metal fenced gate and   
  
started dribbling and shooting. She faked, did a cross over, and then   
  
did a lay up. She practiced all kinds of moves. When she got a little   
  
tired, she turned toward the fence. She almost expired of fright and   
  
shock when she saw Darien watching her from the other side of the   
  
fence. He was dressed in all black, looking dangerous and debonair. He   
  
wasn't smiling. But nor was he frowning. He stood there like a creature   
  
of the darkness, staring at her with his beautiful blue eyes. She felt   
  
her chest well up.   
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
He walked through the gate, towards her and stood just staring.   
  
She felt a pang of uneasiness. What was he staring at?  
  
"What's with you??" She was beyond nervous and she was squirming   
  
under his gaze.  
  
"We've been friends for how long Sere?" His voice was a caress   
  
and she wanted to revel in it.   
  
"What does this have to do with anything Dare?"  
  
"We've been friends for eleven years. I was 6 and you were 5. I   
  
understood you, we were best friends."  
  
Serena felt her heart cracking at the word 'were'.   
  
"We're still best friends Darien. You just-" She broke off,   
  
looking to the side. "You just have to give me a little time to…   
  
settle."  
  
His eyes gleamed in the moonlight, Darker than usual. They were   
  
filled with determination; was that anger she read in their depths.   
  
"For the first time ever, you walked away from a fight. I wanted   
  
to know what you were thinking but you closed yourself off from me. How   
  
is that being a friend Serena?"  
  
She cringed at his use of her full name.   
  
"Darien," She started, her voice breaking. "I couldn't, I mean I   
  
can't explain, not right now. It's not the time. Come on, you can't   
  
take this in any other way. It's just- oh, please. I'm sorry alright.   
  
Just leave it be for right now."  
  
She was just as determined at the moment for him to leave it   
  
alone as he was to get everything cleared.   
  
"I'll think about it." Was all he said. He departed as slick as   
  
he entered. Serena stood there for some moments, just staring and   
  
wondering just how she would come around to telling him. What would she   
  
say, Darien I love you more than a best friend and I think I've been   
  
feeling this way all of my life??   
  
Mina Roberts was the matchmaker of the school. She wasn't too   
  
bright but she had the looks to make up for it. She wasn't too tall,   
  
standing at 5'4'' but she was slim and wore clothes like they were made   
  
for her. She was a charmer, and broke a thousand hearts a day.   
  
She stood at the edge of the basketball court with her boyfriend   
  
Andrew, wondering. She watched this mysterious she-male Serena Tsukino   
  
with eyes of an eagle looking for its prey. Was Lita right?? Did Serena   
  
have more than best friendly feeling toward that chunk of a hunk Darien   
  
Chiba?? She would find out.   
  
Lita walked up to her a few moments later. She leaned down   
  
whispering something in Mina's ear, then pointing towards the court.   
  
"Now, see here Mina. Look at the way Serena looks at him. It's   
  
hidden very carefully but I'm sure you'll be able to see the signs."  
  
Mina smiled in satisfaction, like a cat that got the cream. The   
  
signs were there indeed.  
  
"Great work Lita. I might just make you my matchmaking   
  
assistant."  
  
Lita sneered. "Like I want to be caught up in your silly   
  
matchmaking. I'm just helping you out this time because this will be   
  
the first and only interesting match you will set up."  
  
She stalked away, Mina looking after her trying to understand   
  
what she was saying. She shook her head and looked to the court where   
  
more important matters played.   
  
She glided towards the bleachers to get a better look. She took a   
  
seat next to her 3 best friends. There was Amy Anderson, a smart one,   
  
and quite pretty for someone with her intelligence. She was shy but had   
  
a layer of inner steel in her that only a best friend could recognize.   
  
Then there was Raye Hino. She shook her head. There was fire in   
  
that one. Thought Raye was a good friend, her temper was just not in   
  
the right place most of the time. She liked to pick fights over   
  
everything. She was definitely a heartbreaker and could end up beating   
  
a guy to pulp but she wouldn't risk the breaking of a finger nail. If   
  
any of her friends was closer to Serena in actions, it would be Raye.   
  
Though she didn't know if Serena had such a temper. If Raye was a man…   
  
She shuddered.   
  
Then there was Lita Charleston, a magnificent cook. Her hands   
  
worked miracles on the dinner, lunch, breakfast, and snack table. It   
  
was a wonder because Lita had some rough edges and yet she cooked with   
  
such delicacy. She liked to pick fights but her temper did not even   
  
come close to Raye's. And she was hooked like a fish on her boyfriend   
  
Ken. To her, the sun set and rose in his eyes. She had a great sense of   
  
humor and a reckless side that not to many people had seen nor wanted   
  
to see.   
  
A pretty good match, she decided, as far as friends went. Though   
  
she couldn't say personality wise if they were much too compatible.   
  
They were totally different. But she loved them anyways.   
  
"Raye, I need you to help me out." Mina gestured toward the   
  
court. "See that Serena girl. She's my next mission."  
  
Raye rolled her eyes. Another mission, she thought in   
  
exasperation. Mina needed to get a life. "Yeah, yeah. What of it Mina?"  
  
"Well," Mina paused, looked from Raye to the court, then back   
  
again. "I need to know how to get to this Serena girl. She needs our   
  
help because Lita and I have both concluded that she is in love with   
  
that hunk Darien."   
  
Raye sucked in a surprised breath. Serena, she she-male? No way.   
  
She focused her violet eyes on the court like a lion guarding his   
  
prey. She watched Serena, decked out in her atrocious hat, Nike t-  
  
shirt, and baggy shorts.   
  
Darien had the ball now, and Serena was guarding him. Though Raye   
  
didn't know much about basketball, she conceded that Serena was doing a   
  
pretty good job. And that's when she saw it. IT was almost invisible,   
  
but it glowed. Her eyes, they held that one emotion that was the   
  
hardest to hide. Raye wondered reflectively why, if Darien was this   
  
she-male's best friend, did he not see it.   
  
She looked from the court back to mina. Her eyes glowed.   
  
"I think that this is going to be very… interesting Mina. I'll   
  
help out. What do you want me to do?"  
  
Mina smiled, her eyes gleaming.   
  
"Here's the plan…"  
  
Serena ran to Darien as he started off the court.   
  
"Darien."  
  
He turned but didn't smile. His looked seemed to be saying 'say   
  
what you have to say and leave me alone'.  
  
Serena tried her hardest to keep emotions in check, and damned if   
  
she'd let him see her cry again. Though, she couldn't stop her eyes   
  
from watering.  
  
"I just wanted to say that I wanted to be your best friend   
  
again."  
  
"How, Serena, when you can't even tell me what's wrong. We're   
  
supposed to have mutual trust."  
  
"Darien-"  
  
"Serena," he said with force. "You asked me the other day, 'is my   
  
nose too big?'. Now you being.. you, it confused me to death. And I   
  
wondered what the hell is she talking about. Then you got all uppity   
  
and started crying and for God sakes Sere, I had never seen you cry   
  
that easily. I mean you didn't even cry when you broke your leg falling   
  
out of a tree. I was worried and you couldn't even tell me. I don't   
  
need you to tell me everything but when it's something that I cause or   
  
am around to see, you can't just hide. So it's up to you Sere,"  
  
Serena took a deep breath.  
  
"Darien, I can't tell you. It's very, very personal. What if I   
  
promised, that when I get my head together, and I'm settled, I'll tell   
  
you what I've been afraid but anxious to tell you. I hope what I will   
  
have to say wont end our friendship. I just need some time."  
  
Darien sighed.   
  
"Okay. Alright? But I aint waiting forever for you to tell me so   
  
start building you strength."  
  
A tremulous smile filled Serena's face.   
  
"You're alright Dare."  
  
"Not too bad yourself Sere. Now I've got to go, I got a hot   
  
date." He grinned at her, "I'll see you later."  
  
And if he would have looked a moment longer, Darien would have   
  
seen on lonely tear fall down Serena's unsmiling face.  
  
Oh God! What was she going to do?  
  
Raye, who was hidden behind a bush at the moment, grinned. Now to   
  
report to Mina. This was going to work out. Very definitely. She   
  
walked, away, hidden by the row of bushes, and headed toward Mina's   
  
house. She granted herself one last look, felling for the forlorn look   
  
that clouded Serena's features, grateful for the prospect of an   
  
interesting match. She ventured off into the distance. 


	6. The Interview

It was dark. That was a given but as to the time, Serena had no   
  
clue. She picked up her Nike bag, trying to fight her feelings. Darien.   
  
Damn him anyways. Why? Oh why?  
  
She was so caught up into herself, Serena didn't even look up   
  
when someone called from behind her.  
  
"Serena!!"   
  
Oh why did she have to be in love with Darien. It was the   
  
downfall of her life and she was sure that when she told him.   
  
"Serena!!!"   
  
She had no choice. She had to tell him.  
  
"Serena!!!! Open your damn ears and listen up!,"  
  
Serena looked up. Was someone calling her?  
  
She turned around.  
  
There she was, standing as if she controlled the night. Mina,   
  
dressed flawlessly in a pink mini-skirt and matching sweater, hands on   
  
her hips, was glaring at Serena. Her layered hair, a shade lighter than   
  
Serena's flowed in the wind. She was the picture of fragility, flawless   
  
beauty, the kind of girl Serena wished she could be. Reflectively,   
  
Serena took in her drab appearance, basketball shorts, t-shirt, and a   
  
hat. She sighed. Then looked up.  
  
"Hey. You're Mina right?"  
  
"Yes. Your Serena. Serena Tsukino." There was no question in that   
  
statement. Mina walked up to Serena, eyeing her. "I know your secret.   
  
Serena. I can help you. Will you accept it?" She whispered.  
  
Serena looked up, thinking about Darien. It escaped her   
  
comprehension how she knew what mina was talking about. She decided not   
  
to pretend like she didn't.  
  
"Does it show?" she said ruefully.   
  
"Yes. But not like you think it does. It's hidden very well but   
  
it's there. I know you love him. Do you want my help?"  
  
Serena looked beyond Mina, into the distance, sighing and   
  
thinking. What if it worked. What if she turned into a female and   
  
Darien would be going out with her tonight instead of his girl of this   
  
week?   
  
She raised soulful eyes to Mina.   
  
"Do you think that you can do it?"  
  
Mina smiled, gently. She felt an unexpected pang of sympathy   
  
for this person who was very much the female that everyone thought she   
  
was not. She reached out, putting an encouraging hand on her shoulder.  
  
"Yes. Come to my house tomorrow, after school. Here's the   
  
address." She handed Serena a sheet of paper with her address, gave an   
  
heartening nod, then walked off.   
  
Serena stared at the paper, not really looking at it, but rather,   
  
thinking about how everything would change if she changed. She smiled   
  
suddenly. A new day was coming and she couldn't wait.   
  
  
  
Darien caught up with Serena as she was heading out of school the   
  
next day. He grinned at her.  
  
"Hey Sere. You want to go play basketball or something?"  
  
Serena bit her lip. She couldn't tell him of her plans.  
  
"Sorry Dare. I already have plans." She started to walk faster   
  
but he changed his speed to match with hers. His eyes were no longer   
  
cheery.   
  
"What plans Sere?"  
  
She glared at him. "None of your business!!"  
  
He glared back. "Why not?"  
  
"Because. I don't ask you your plans everyday so give me some   
  
space. You don't need to know everything."  
  
"If you asked I would tell you my plans Serena."  
  
Serena stopped, furious. She eyed him, fury matching fury.  
  
"You know what? I don't ask you so for all of the times that you   
  
had plans and I didn't ask, you could return the same courtesy. Now   
  
leave me the hell alone."  
  
Darien laughed. Serena grew angrier. She punched him in the   
  
stomach and ran off.   
  
Darien stared off after her. He frowned, wondering. Where was   
  
Serena going??  
  
  
  
Serena arrived at Mina's house at 3:00 exactly. She walked   
  
through the unusually beautiful garden that seemed to have flowers of   
  
every kind. There was also a concrete fountain that had fairy watching   
  
the water. Serena smiled at the fountain. It was neat.   
  
She laughed at herself for thinking a stupid word like neat, then   
  
walked up to the door. She knocked precisely three times, observing the   
  
numbers on the house. 8702. There was a cat on the window sill to her   
  
left. It was staring at her. She was about to go to it when the door   
  
opened.  
  
A tall brown haired girl answered the door. Then Mina appeared,   
  
pushing the giant of a girl out of the way. She smirked.  
  
Mina smiled brightly and pulled her in.   
  
There was a giant white couch to her right, and three people were   
  
sitting in it. Serena looked once, then twice to make sure she saw   
  
right.   
  
"What the hell?" She glared at mina.  
  
"Sorry Serena. These girls are going to help me-us fix you up."  
  
"Oh." It couldn't take just one person to accomplish the miracle   
  
she was hoping for. She took a seat in the black recliner next to the   
  
couch. She sat back watching, observing as four eyes observed her   
  
equally.   
  
The one with the crow looking hair was watching her like a hawk.   
  
Serena was getting irritated and stared back at her equally. She   
  
couldn't take this girls piercing stare. It was making her nervous.   
  
"Look Scarecrow, keep your eyes off a me, You're giving me the   
  
creeps!" Of course she didn't look like a crow but she didn't care at   
  
the moment. She glared at her. In the corner of her eye she saw Mina   
  
fidget nervously.   
  
"Umm guys-"  
  
"Mina shut up." The black haired girl had a voice to match the   
  
fury Serena read in her eyes. Reflexively Serena saw the three girls   
  
back away. Now she really was nervous.   
  
"Look, I didn't mean it. And I can see that your going to make a   
  
scene or something over a harmless comment so lets just cut the crap."   
  
To Serena utter bewilderment and chagrin, Raye laughed. It   
  
transformed her face making her exceptionally beautiful. Serena sighed.   
  
If only she could look like that.   
  
Mina intercepted the look of wistfulness that she read in   
  
Serena's eyes. That gave her more determination than ever to make   
  
things the way Serena wanted them to go. She took in Serena's customary   
  
hat, baggy shorts, and t-shirt. How long was Serena's hair? She   
  
suspected it was short, hidden under that cap.   
  
Amy, the peacemaker, stood up and put herself between Raye and   
  
Serena. The tension was felt and Amy put on her scolding voice that   
  
made Serena and Raye feel like children.  
  
"Shouldn't we introduce ourselves first? Serena doesn't know us."  
  
Raye laughed ruefully. "What? Do you want us to say our names and   
  
favorite ice cream?" then she laughed again.  
  
Serena couldn't help but laugh too. Maybe Raye wasn't soo bad.   
  
And, the joke was kind of funny although it seemed to bother ol' stiff   
  
over there. Serena kind of felt bad for her though, because that smart   
  
one wasn't really accomplishing anything.   
  
To her surprise, the silent girls voice came again with edges of   
  
steel.  
  
"My name is Amy," she said forcefully, glaring at Raye, then   
  
smiling at Serena. Her eyes frosted to a light blue that had Serena a   
  
little uneasy. Then Amy smiled, and Serena let out another frustrated   
  
groan. Another supermodel. "And, my favorite ice cream is strawberry,"   
  
Serena smiled and thought that it was a pretty nice crack for   
  
softie over there.   
  
The giant with the mop of brown hair stretched out her long legs   
  
over the length of the white couch and closed her eyes.   
  
"My name is Lita." She said, eyes closed, not paying much   
  
attention. "I've seen you play football and you're real good Sere, you   
  
don't mind if I call you that do you? Of course you don't. And I've   
  
seen you have mad skill in football. I was wondering if you could-"  
  
"Thanks Lita, so nice of you to introduce yourself. Now Serena   
  
take off your hat," Mina pleasantly interrupted.  
  
The change in conversation was so slick and clever Serena found   
  
herself reaching for her hat without even thinking. She smiled at Mina,   
  
a knowing smile. "Ah. You almost got me there. I'm not taking off my   
  
hat and having you four supermodels laughing at my hair."  
  
"Just take the damn thing off Birdbrain."  
  
Serena glared at her. "Where the hell do you come off calling me   
  
Birdbrain you overgrown hawk!"  
  
Raye's eyes glared maliciously. "You want me to come over there   
  
oh wise and strong one?" she mocked.  
  
Serena glared with a malicious set of her own. "You can try!"  
  
"Oh yeah?"  
  
"Yeah, go ahead and do your best!" Serena stood up. Raye stood   
  
up. They eyed each other like two animals about to battle.   
  
"Be very afraid meatball head before I have to grab a stake and   
  
some garlic."  
  
Serena lifted a sardonic eyebrow. "Oh, so is that what ware   
  
wolves eat?"  
  
Suddenly Raye stood back and smiled. "Your not such a bad   
  
opponent," she said, then glared again, "now take off your hat," Then   
  
she took the hat off of Serena's head. It was so unexpected, Serena   
  
stood there like a deer in headlights. She flushed bright pink.   
  
There was a simultaneous gasp from the crowd as Serena's golden   
  
hair fell from the cap. It was shiny and fell in semi-waves to the   
  
midlle of her thighs.  
  
"OH! And I thought that your hair was short!" came Mina's awed   
  
voice.  
  
"Why do you wear that stupid cap meatball head? It doesn't' even   
  
look halfway decent," said Raye angered. She had also thought there was   
  
something wrong with Serena's hair. Why else would she wear a stupid   
  
hat?  
  
"Your hair blends in well. You look real exquisite with your hair   
  
exempted of that discolored hat. I am almost speechless," this came   
  
from the brain.  
  
"WOW! How did you fit all that under that small cap Sere?" came   
  
the giant who was now sitting up on the couch, her eyes owlish. "I mean   
  
I've seen you play football when I was waiting for Ken but I never   
  
expected this,"  
  
Serena looked at each of them as if they were crazy.  
  
"You don't have to lie. We're supposed to help each other." She   
  
spoke as if she were talking to a kindergartener. "My hair is okay.   
  
That's it. It didn't mix well with my boys image. But look at how it   
  
doesn't' work with my face, my nose it too big and off center, my ears   
  
are too small and my mouth is way too big."  
  
Raye and Mina exchanged looks and this made Serena nervous. Lita   
  
lounged back on the couch, groaning, and closing her eyes.   
  
"She's so clueless." She muttered and Serena thought that she   
  
went to sleep.  
  
Mian determinedly to Serena. "It seems to me," She said with a   
  
raise of her eyebrow and a smile, "that you are lacking self confidence   
  
Serena. Considering how hard you try at being a guy, it goes beyond   
  
me," she said in a bland English accent. She had her nose upturned and   
  
reminded Serena of one of those scolding English teachers holding their   
  
noses to something foul.  
  
Serena looked at Mina blankly.  
  
"What's with the accent?"   
  
Mina blushed and averted her head. "I was practicing for my   
  
acting career." She muttered and walked away blushing.   
  
Amy spoke up, obviously sensing the ruffles in the water.  
  
"She is saying that your lack of self confidence contradicts with   
  
the confidence you muster in your portrayal of a man, assuming boyish   
  
qualities."  
  
Serena looked at Amy blankly.  
  
"Would somebody speak some friggin' English here? One speaks   
  
'English' and the other speaks 'Dictionary'."   
  
"What Amy and Mina are trying to say is that you don't have any   
  
self confidence and because guys are so pigheaded and stubborn and you   
  
hang out with them all of the time, it's hard to see how you don't have   
  
any confidence," explained Lita making Serena start since she thought   
  
that she was sleeping.   
  
Serena looked at Lita, knowing this time that she wasn't   
  
sleeping. "Thanks for the translation Lita."   
  
Raye stood up. "Now Meatball head, it's time for us to tell you   
  
plan A." 


	7. The Ball

Hello Everyone!! Dreameress here. Well, anyways, umm... I just   
  
wanted to say *eyes sparkle with tears* THANKS!! To everyone who  
  
has sent me an email or commented on my story, THANK YOU. Well,  
  
here is Chapter 7. This will be the last chapter I can get out for  
  
a while becuase I am leaving on a trip for 5 weeks!! So while i'm   
  
gone, enjoy. Oh yeah, I got an idea from another author's commentary  
  
before her story. She told everyone that she would not update until  
  
she had at least 10 comments or emails or whatever. Well, when I get  
  
back from my trip, I'll update depending on the number of comments...  
  
or emails... or whatever. Anywas, Enjoy. :)  
  
Dreameress_ai@hotmail.com  
  
-Dreameress  
  
"You know about the upcoming Dance don't you?" Mina inquired and   
  
without waiting for an answer, she continued. "It's the Last Dance of   
  
the year and the theme is England balls. In the earlier centuries,   
  
there were magnificent balls, and there were belles and they dressed in   
  
extravagant dresses, dancing with whoever asked of her hand. If they   
  
danced 3 times with one man, it was scandalous meaning that that couple   
  
was going to marry. If not, the lady would be scorned. We're going to   
  
help you, and you will come with us." Mina stopped, gazing at nothing   
  
thinking of the fun, "Guys will come up to us, the belles of the ball   
  
and ask for us to dance, and we have to be nice, so we graciously agree   
  
and let them kiss our hand for the sake of kindness-"  
  
"Yeah, so that's where you come in Serena. You're going to be   
  
transformed by then and we only have a week. So the transformation   
  
starts now.  
  
"Mina is excellent at hair, she layered her own. I will help you   
  
choose your dress, making sure that it is fitting and perfect. Lita is   
  
a genius at makeup, and Amy will teach you how to dance. We have 5 days   
  
to get ready so lets start."   
  
At Raye's command, they lead Serena to the bathroom, sat her in   
  
front of the mirror. Mina started on her hair.   
  
Catching Serena's worried expression in the mirror, Mina smiled.   
  
"It's okay Serena. It'll look fine." And then cut off a inch. Serena   
  
winced.   
  
2 hours later Serena opened her eyes. Shock came before   
  
recognition. She ignored the remains of her hair that lay on the floor.   
  
Her hair was beautifully layered, reaching mid back. It ran short at   
  
her shoulders then layered down. Serena didn't know what to say and   
  
couldn't stop the tears from coming to her eyes.   
  
She turned to see Mina smiling, Raye and Lita in shock, and Amy   
  
looking at her in awe. She looked to mina, mouthing the words thank   
  
you. If anything, Mina's smile grew brighter.  
  
"Come back tomorrow Serena. Same time. We have to go shopping."  
  
She nodded, walking out of the house, unintentionally forgetting   
  
her hat.  
  
The four girls stood staring after her.  
  
"I still can't figure out how she gets all of that hair in that   
  
hat?" muttered Lita.  
  
"It's just one of those mysteries."  
  
  
  
Serena was exacty two minutes from Mina's house when she realized   
  
that she forgot her hat. Oh no!! Frantically she looked around, trying   
  
to see if she had stuck it on her pants.  
  
All that she found was a scrunchie with a small folded piece of   
  
paper taped on it.  
  
She took it off and opened it with panicked hands. It read:  
  
Meatball head. You're going to have to get used to your hair   
  
sometime. You look horrible in the cap. Wear the scrunchie cuz I'm   
  
keeping your hat.  
  
HA!  
  
Love,  
  
One of your new best friends,  
  
Raye  
  
Serena read once, but it wasn't sinking in. She read it again and   
  
ran a frustrated hand through her hair. She was on the verge of   
  
stomping back to Mina's house to retrieve when she heard a distant   
  
call.  
  
"Serena!!"   
  
She bit her lip. It was Darien. He couldn't see her hair like   
  
this. It would ruin everything. She looked to the scrunchie on her arm   
  
like it was a savior, then puller her hair back into a ponytail. It   
  
wasn't much of a hiding job but it would do.   
  
She finished just in time when Darien caught up to her.   
  
"Where were you today Sere?"  
  
"I already told you to bug off." Serena glared at him furiously   
  
while taking in his immaculate appearance. He dressed in a white t-  
  
shirt that clung to his every muscle, and she almost sighed   
  
seeing the six pack through his shirt. He had on baggy black jeans and   
  
a black hat on to match. The hat covered his head and hid his eyes. He   
  
looked dangerous, with his eyes hidden so, like he was hiding   
  
something. She wanted to hug him at that moment, watching his grin   
  
widen into a boyish smirk that had her heart beating double time. His   
  
eyes were dark blue in the shadow of his hat, and Serena watched   
  
entranced as they moved from her face to her hair. She saw the   
  
puzzlement in his eyes, the questioning. She wanted to tell him at that   
  
moment everything. She knew she had to wait.  
  
"What happened to your hair Sere? Why aren't you wearing a hat?"  
  
Serena sighed. "I forgot it okay." It was close enough to the   
  
truth. She felt a chill come over her as Darien's eyes frosted to 100   
  
degrees below zero. His grin was washed off his face, replaced with a   
  
grim line.  
  
"Where were you Serena?"  
  
"Why do you care?" She battered back, furious. He was becoming as   
  
foreign to her as she was to herself. She fought back a batch of   
  
furious tears, turned on her heel and started walking away. When his   
  
hand snatched hers, she cleanly twisted her hand out of it and ran. Ran   
  
for dear life because she couldn't face him anymore. He became more   
  
puzzling everyday and her heart wasn't ready for somethings yet, and   
  
neither was his. HE insisted almost everyday, but she couldn't tell   
  
him. Not yet. As much as she wanted to.  
  
She reached her house with him a good minute behind her. She   
  
wiped away a tear and reached for her keys. He was ten seconds away.   
  
Her hands nervously took out the keys, set them in the lock, and   
  
started to turn. They were shaking so bad, it was almost impossible for   
  
her to do anything.  
  
It was too late. Darien was right behind her. In a wave of fury,   
  
he grabbed her shoulder, turned her around to face him; his eyes were   
  
contorted with anger and something else Serena didn't recognize. She   
  
couldn't fight the tears, and cursed silently as one ran silently down   
  
her face.   
  
His face gentled.  
  
"Aw, Serena. Why do you do this to me?"  
  
"I'm not crying Darien. It's the sun this time, I'm serious.   
  
Sorry to worry you. You can leave now Darien, I'm fine now."  
  
Darien laughed, his eyes amused now. "Serena, you're so strange   
  
these days, I'm having a hard time recognizing my best friend,". He   
  
grinned so wide, Serena had a flashback of the time when he lost his   
  
front tooth and showed it off to everyone. She smiled, though it hurt   
  
to do so. "I've known you forever it seems. And I know that your eyes   
  
don't water in the sun."  
  
She slanted him a desperate look, filled with all of her   
  
emotions.   
  
"Is that all I am to you Darien, your best friend?"  
  
The whole world seemed to stop in those few seconds and she   
  
watched the myriad of emotions cross Darien's face. Damn! Big no no!   
  
She covered her mouth in mortification. Did she just say that out   
  
loud? She read the sheer confusion in his face.  
  
"What else would you be Serena?"  
  
Her heart cracked at the honesty in that one question. What else   
  
would she be? She was his best friend, the tomboy, and yet, she didn't   
  
want to be anything at the moment. Being best friends was complicated   
  
enough with it interfering in her already muddled emotions. He truly   
  
didn't think of her as anything more than that.  
  
"Nothing. Nothing at all Darien." She whispered, her voice almost   
  
breaking.   
  
Darien looked into her eyes, the purple irises filling up the   
  
entire eye. His heart quickened in pace. What happened to her? Why was   
  
she so… different. He looked at her, took in her baggy jeans, t-shirt,   
  
and blond pony tail. Not a lick of makeup covered her unusually smooth   
  
face. Her cheeks were red, becomingly so, due to her tears. But he   
  
didn't see the beauty in her expression, the yearning in her eyes. All   
  
he saw was his best friend, crying over something he didn't have a clue   
  
as to what.   
  
"Serena…"  
  
"No Darien. Leave it alone. I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
"Serena wait!" But she was already inside of her house. The door   
  
closed with a loud BANG! Darien ran a restless hand through his hair.   
  
Serena was a mystery to him, and he was determined to figure it out. 


	8. Makeover

The next day Serena learned how to Tango. And then some. So many   
  
dances she had learned in one night. They caroused around the house   
  
like braying monkeys, dancing and jumping, everything. There was a   
  
chorus of '1,2,3's' and spins, turns, different dances of different   
  
turns. She also learned how to dance and it wasn't such a bad   
  
experience with her new female friends, the first female friends she   
  
ever had in her entire life.   
  
Amy was having a hard time trying to teach Serena the simple   
  
basics of Dancing because of lack of communication. Lita was the   
  
interpreter. It wasn't that she didn't understand, but she just didn't   
  
feel like thinking too hard outside of school.   
  
Raye, the fiery one, taught Serena the tango and after all the   
  
bickering and yelling and teasing, they laughed and Serena executed   
  
perfectly. Raye patted her on the back saying that she was a natural   
  
but would never reach her superior skill.  
  
All in all, Serena thought, it was a very…learning experience.   
  
Serena smiled to herself. She was taking the first step to becoming   
  
more of a female. She just got female friends.   
  
  
  
Serena stared at the clock. She bit her fingers in her   
  
uncontrollable nervous habit. It was 7:30. She had about 5 more   
  
minutes.   
  
Serena looked blankly around the room, eyes resting on nothing at   
  
all. She was going to have a make over. Somehow these weird females   
  
were going to dress her up and miraculously turn her into a female.   
  
Serena didn't know whether to jump for joy or cry.   
  
She shook her head. This was what she wanted right? She didn't   
  
want to be the guy that was really a girl. She wanted to be pretty for   
  
at least one day in her life so that she could gain some self   
  
confidence.  
  
Serena grabbed her wallet with shaking hands and walked out of   
  
the door. She wore a blue bandanna over her gold locks which were woven   
  
into an intricate braid. The braid concealed the length and beauty of   
  
Serena's hair and Serena was glad because she wouldn't have to make any   
  
hasty explanations if the guys saw her.   
  
She arrived at Mina's house 15 minutes later, 10 minutes early   
  
and stood anxious at the door. She hesitantly raised her hand and was   
  
about to knock when she heard some familiar voices behind her.  
  
"Hey Dare!! Isn't that Sere?"   
  
"Yeah, I think so. Maybe not, she wouldn't have any reason to be   
  
at Mina's house."  
  
"Maybe I should go tell Mina hi."  
  
"Maybe we should go see if the other girls are there,"  
  
"no, guys, we have to go…Well maybe for a second, I'm have a   
  
nagging sense that that person at the door really is Sere."  
  
Serena, eyes owlish and wide with panic looked back to see Ken,   
  
Andrew, Darien, and Jadeite walking across the street. In panic, Serena   
  
knocked on the door continuously.  
  
She heard some yelling. "Stop that damn pounding bozo! You keep   
  
it up and I'll gut you. Just a second."  
  
Then, Raye appeared at the door dressed in a short red skirt and   
  
a red tank top. Her hair was up in a half ponytail, leaving the rest of   
  
her beautiful jet black hair flowing around her back and shoulders.   
  
Serena sighed wistfully. Why couldn't she look like that?  
  
She momentarily forgot her pursuers until she heard some call her   
  
name. She pushed pass Raye and ran into the house, hiding behind the   
  
nearest couch.  
  
Raye, giving Serena a bewildered look, looked out the door and   
  
saw the guys approaching. Realizing Serena's situation, she quickly   
  
closed the door.  
  
Relief flowed out of Serena like the wind. She slowly got up from   
  
the couch and started to walk towards Raye when incessant pounding   
  
sounded on the door. Startled and full of anxiety, Serena ran into   
  
Mina's room. She hoped no one saw her through the window.  
  
Looking around the room, she saw Mina, Ami, and Lita in the back   
  
room obviously deeply involved in something. They had a mirror, each   
  
had their own bag, Lita was anxiously looking through the closet, and   
  
Ami was looking through her bag. Serena hesitated and then entered the   
  
danger zone.  
  
Ami was the first to notice her presence.   
  
"oh," she said with a faint blush, "I didn't see you come in.   
  
Please, sit down." She gestured toward the bed that was covered in   
  
clothes and magazines. She didn't think she had enough space to sit   
  
down. She moved some things around, making a space for herself, and sat   
  
down.   
  
There was a triumphant 'aha' from Lita who was drowning in the   
  
closet. She pulled out a dress and threw it down on the bed. She jumped   
  
when she saw Serena.   
  
"Oh! I didn't see you!" she said, putting a hand on her chest to   
  
stop her fluttering heart.   
  
Mina who was looking though some magazines abruptly turned toward   
  
Serena. She lifted an eyebrow and smiled maliciously and turned back to   
  
her book.  
  
Serena was getting a little worried and held back a sigh of   
  
relief as Raye strode into the room.  
  
Raye lifted an inquiring eyebrow at Serena.  
  
"I chased off your friends. They were wondering if you were here   
  
and I told them no," her gaze turned into a questioning glance. "they   
  
were headed toward your house,"  
  
Then she turned to Lita and Ami and nodded as they all held   
  
thumbs up and cleared her throat at mina who was deeply engrossed in   
  
the fashion magazine.   
  
"Are we ready?" she said, her voice commanding.  
  
"yes," Mina replied, not looking up from her book.  
  
She smiled and looked at Serena. "In order to come with us, you   
  
must dress like us," she said simply and nodded to Lita.   
  
Lita, her eyes full of determination, strode toward Serena, dress   
  
held in hand.  
  
"Put this on, no protests, no yelping, no complaining, or there   
  
will be repercussions. Do you understand me?"  
  
Something in Lita's gaze was frightening Serena but even more   
  
frightening then Lita's gaze was her head pounding. A dress?!? No   
  
friggin way!!!  
  
"I am not, and I repeat am NOT wearing this-this thing!!!" she   
  
was outraged. "Get me a friggin skirt and I'll go along but I will not   
  
go out there in a friggin dress you hear me?!?!" She gave everyone in   
  
the room the evil eye.  
  
Mina frowned, clearly disappointed, the disappointment showing in   
  
her eyes and head. "It's an experiment Serena, but if you don't want to   
  
wear a dress…," she cocked her head to the side, thoughtful. Still   
  
looking at Serena, she put a finger to her mouth, assessing. She beamed   
  
then and ran to her closet. She pulled out a jean skirt-shorts set and   
  
a white tank top with a matching jean jacket.   
  
"Is this more to you liking?"   
  
Serena frowned. "What do you mean 'experiment'?"  
  
Mina expertly lead her to the bathroom, and before she knew it,   
  
she was locked in, staring at a crystal clean mirror.  
  
"You have 10 minutes!" she heard Raye call from outside. She   
  
sighed.   
  
"Told ya, I am a genious Raye, come on Bow down, bow down!" She   
  
heard Mina say in the background. She laughed. 


	9. The Mall

Serena grimaced as she put the shorts on. They were incredibly   
  
short, showing yards of leg and Serena felt incredibly self-conscious.   
  
She hoped no one at the mall would recognize her with her cow legs.   
  
The thing that made putting on the outfit more difficult than   
  
ever was the fact that she never wore dresses. She had been like a guy   
  
in so long, it felt… wrong. But, she assured herself quickly, she would   
  
get used to it.   
  
The skirt wasn't so bad, she decided, because there were the   
  
shorts that went with it. But still… She, the one whose morning ritual   
  
was to go with the fellas and play ball? She would look horrible. The   
  
guys would laugh if they saw her now, all decked out like a normal   
  
female. appearance.   
  
Serena bit her nails. It couldn't be that bad, she thought,   
  
looking over the outfit again. If it didn't look right, she could just   
  
change into something else or force her new female friends to give her   
  
some regular jeans.  
  
A few minutes later, Serena came out of the bathroom, barefooted   
  
with the jean outfit on. She held her breath as she stepped into Mina's   
  
room.  
  
Everyone's head turned as Serena entered the room as if they   
  
sensed she came in. And every face was in pure shock.   
  
Serena was beautiful. With the jean outfit on, she looked totally   
  
different. Her flat stomach and fit legs made the look even more   
  
enchanting. Her golden hair was down and wavy ringlets flew down her   
  
back and over her shoulders down to her waist.   
  
Mina, in total awe, was the first to break the silence.  
  
"WOW!! Serena!" She squealed as she raced across the room   
  
enveloping Serena in a tight embrace, "I would have never guessed."  
  
Serena's cheeks turned red and she looked down at Mina. She was   
  
clearly embarrassed and she looked around helplessly.  
  
Gathering her courage, she looked at the girls. She hesitated   
  
then spoke. "Do you think that I should have taped my boobs this   
  
morning?"  
  
At the blank looks, Serena went on. "I mean, they are too big, so   
  
I tape them but I was just thinking that since I'm going to that dance   
  
thing today…" she trailed off at the blank looks coming from her peers.  
  
Feeling even more embarrassed, she continued, "Well, I always   
  
tape them down when I'm playing with the guys because they are too big   
  
and they'd probably think I'm a gnome or something,"  
  
The room was enveloped in silence. Too angered, she forgot her   
  
shyness. "Well, say something for god sakes! You weirdo's better stop   
  
looking at me like this because I tell you I'll-"  
  
"Serena, you have monkey for brains!"  
  
Serena looked at Raye whose previous blank face was not contorted   
  
in anger. "I can't believe you meatball head. You know how people wish   
  
they had your figure? You know how bad it is for you to tape down your   
  
breasts? Is your head really filled with spaghetti?"  
  
Serena was ready to fight, but she held back. She could end up   
  
tearing Mina's beautiful clothes.   
  
"Well, how was I supposed to know? And you know good and well I   
  
don't have a nice looking figure. I look like a guy with big kuhungas   
  
and you don't have to try and make me feel better. I honestly don't   
  
know why you're so mad!"  
  
Raye lowered her head, took 5 deep breaths, and counted to ten.   
  
Before she could reply Ami's quaint voice interceded.   
  
"Serena, whether you believe it or not, you are certainly more   
  
pretty than your mind let's you believe," her eyes were full intensity.   
  
"And, until you believe it yourself, it's no use for us to try and   
  
convince you." she gave Raye a pointed look.  
  
Raye sighed in resignation. "You don't have to believe me   
  
meatball head." Her voice sounded awfully subdued and Serena felt sort   
  
of bad.  
  
Mina, who was watching this encounter with mysterious eyes,   
  
seemed to look not at but into Serena. Her smile hid a thousand secrets   
  
but her voice held no mystery when she promptly told everyone it was   
  
time to go.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*T*~*O*~*M*~*B*~*O*~*Y*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Darien wiped the sweat off of his head with the towel, took a   
  
swig of water, and sat down on his car. The game was over. His team won   
  
just like always but today, it felt like something was missing. And   
  
something was good ol Sere.   
  
Darien shook his head in bewilderment. Serena had never missed a   
  
game of their routine Saturday football games in her life. Only when   
  
she was sick, did she not come. And, her mom had to keep her attached   
  
to the bed in those situations. Why didn't she come today?  
  
Darien remembered seeing that girl at Mina's house and some   
  
nagging sense had told him that it was Serena. But she had already been   
  
in the house before he could tell and Raye was already shooing him away   
  
saying it was another one of her friends. But, why was he not   
  
convinced?  
  
Darien saw Ken run up to him. He was breathless.   
  
"Hey man, let's head to the mall. I'm sure Lita's there cuz she's   
  
always there."   
  
Darien smiled, obviously amused that his friend let a girl   
  
control him so much. Darien had a different girlfriend, it seemed, like   
  
every week. He was never attached to any female unless he counted   
  
Serena, who he really didn't consider one of those types. She was his   
  
best friend, every guys buddy ol pal, and that was all there was to it.  
  
Darien ran a had through his jet black locks and looked off far   
  
into the distance.  
  
"Okay man. I gotta find a tux for the dance anyways."  
  
Ken gave Darien a pitying smile. Darien had never had the   
  
pleasure to find a girl who was really worth his time. Although all of   
  
his girlfriends were beautiful, they didn't seem to meet his   
  
expectations so he always just switched. The thought of having a steady   
  
girlfriend was probably foreign to Darien. And, because of that, he was   
  
missing out on a lot of fun.  
  
"Dare, you really are missing' out on some fun, switching girls   
  
every week. I feel real sorry for you man,"  
  
"No way I'm going to be stuck with one girl. There's no fun in   
  
that." He truly believed it. He wasn't the one girl type. He couldn't   
  
be the forever and after type of guy who had a steady girlfriend. It   
  
would never work. And yet, there was a pang in his stomach, as he felt   
  
but couldn't acknowledge the emptiness that went along with the fact.   
  
The longest relationship he had ever had, lasted for a month and she   
  
was a bitch anyways. He sighed. The only girl he constantly hung out   
  
with was Serena.  
  
Darien winced. Why was Serena always entering his thoughts? Now   
  
and days, Serena entered his mind at every moment of every day. He kept   
  
hearing her haunting whisper 'Nothing. Nothing at all.' And he   
  
desperately wanted to do something. But, she wasn't giving him anything   
  
to go on.   
  
Lately, Darien's thoughts were changing toward Serena. When he   
  
saw her without her hat, he had a feeling that something was changing.   
  
She almost looked pretty with out her hat on, her violet eyes piercing   
  
him and catching his attention for the first time ever. He couldn't   
  
explain it, but his best friend was turning into something else.  
  
Darien shook his thoughts away. It was time to go to the mall. 


	10. New Awareness

"Are you sure this looks right?" Serena studied her appearance in   
  
the mirror. The skirt she was wearing ran to mid thigh and Serena was   
  
constantly pulling it down. She was wearing a yellow halter top to   
  
match with the golden skirt. Serena gave herself an appraising look. It   
  
didn't look too bad. Her hair made her look better that she could have   
  
looked and her eyes matched well with her clothes.  
  
"Trust me Serena. Just wear this to school on Monday. Every one   
  
will trip out when they see you. I didn't even know you looked this   
  
good,". Smiling, Mina walked to another section. "Now, it's time for   
  
your dress for the dance."  
  
She pulled Serena out of the store and lead her to another one   
  
filled to the brim with dresses of all kinds. It was called 'Once upon   
  
a dress'. She chuckled silently to herself thinking of the stupid name.  
  
"What am I looking for here?"  
  
Raye came up beside her, putting an arm on her shoulder.  
  
"your looking for a flamboyant dress. One that stands out and   
  
says 'this is me everyone, look at me!'."   
  
She walked off and Serena wandered around the store, looking,   
  
searching for the perfect dress. She gasped, suprised, when   
  
she quite accidentally ran into the perfect dress.  
  
She was wandering around, then tripped on a shoe and ran right   
  
into it. It was beautiful; violet and lovely. It was low cut, with   
  
long sleeves. There were intricate designs strewn into it, and it was   
  
velvet. It flowed around her like silk. She touched it and it slithered   
  
like water.  
  
"Perfect!" She heard Mina say from behind her. "Go try it on."  
  
Serena came out a couple of minutes and sucked in a shocked   
  
breath. The dress made her look gorgeous. It was a dark violet color, a   
  
tint darker than her eyes. There was a "V" in the back that ran down to   
  
her waist. It wrapped around her neck and tapered to her waist, clinging to every   
  
curve. At the bottom, it went out making the dress sort of like a bell   
  
shape.   
  
Serena ran a finger down the silky fabric of the dress to make   
  
sure it was really her. She looked beautiful. It was perfect. She   
  
didn't look the deformed Serena she had seen earlier. She looked…   
  
pretty. A word she didn't associate with her self on a regular basis.   
  
Serena didn't realize that she was crying until she felt in run   
  
down her cheek. Embarrassed, she darted a quick glance at Mina who was   
  
clearly too shocked to notice. She wiped the tear away and turned to   
  
face Mina.  
  
Mina's face turned into a satisfied look like a cat who had   
  
stolen the cream. She knew this was the dress for Serena when she saw   
  
it. It was perfect and she was even more shocked then she expected when   
  
she saw the outcome. Serena was a true beauty who had hidden too long   
  
behind the mask of a boy. Taping her breasts?? Hiding her hair in a   
  
hat?? She most definitely had a problem if she had never noticed her   
  
beauty when she was alone. How could someone so beautiful be hiding   
  
there and not know it themselves.  
  
Mina smirked. Darien was in for a surprise. His best friend was   
  
about to turn into his deepest challenge.  
  
"It looks perfect," Mina purred all too proud of herself. "I'll   
  
go get the girls so they can see," and then she was off.   
  
Serena nodded and turned back to the mirror. She looked so   
  
beautiful at the moment, she almost couldn't believe it. Why couldn't   
  
she look so nice in anything else?  
  
Serena stared at nothing while she pondered. Would Darien think   
  
she looked nice in this dress? Serena never admitted it out loud but   
  
she was always jealous of all of Darien's girlfriends. She was a girl   
  
and she was his best friend but she wasn't his girlfriend. He never   
  
thought of her as a girl. Just his buddy.  
  
Serena's eyebrows furrowed in anger. Of course she acted like a   
  
guy and hung out with them but it annoyed her endlessly that he never   
  
considered her a girl. She hoped to god that he would actually look at   
  
her tonight as a female, not his best friend.  
  
Three gasps brought Serena out of her reverie. She turned to see   
  
Ami, Raye, and Lita staring shocked at her.  
  
"Serena you look beautiful!"  
  
"Never knew you had it in you meatball head."  
  
"You look quite the enchantress."  
  
Serena gave them a brilliant smile that sent them into more   
  
shivers of shock. "Thanks guys, you really helped me out. I never   
  
considered myself beautiful until I tried on this dress. This dress   
  
makes me look wonderful." She gestured to the dress with an open hand.  
  
"But Serena, its not-"  
  
"Let her be, she has to learn on her own,"  
  
"Give it up Raye, she just wont believe it,"  
  
Serena gave this an inquiring look and turned to Mina. She had a   
  
sudden urge to hug her and gave into it. "Thank you for picking out the   
  
perfect dress Mina. I'm in your debt forever." She whispered fervently.  
  
"No problem Serena. My reward is seeing you think of yourself as   
  
beautiful," she replied, tears filling her eyes. "He'll love it," she   
  
whispered and then pulled away.  
  
"I gotta change back," she said in a rush and in a flash off   
  
purple, she was back in the changing room.  
  
When Serena came back out, she smiled. "Is it time for lunch?"  
  
"Sure meatball head, your favorite time of the day."  
  
"Sure is."  
  
"After this, we go mask shopping!" cried an enthusiastic Mina.  
  
Four simultaneous groans could be heard following miss energetic   
  
out of the store.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
  
Darien and Ken sat in the food court. Darien saw Ken look up and   
  
wave. Darien felt compelled to look back and saw Raye, Mina, Lita, Ami,   
  
and a beauty in a jean jacket and a skirt.  
  
He couldn't get a good look at the beauty's face but he saw her   
  
whisper something to her friends and run off.  
  
Darien felt a strange sense of recognition. The beauty reminded   
  
him of Serena. But, that couldn't be true. Serena would never be caught   
  
in a dress.  
  
  
  
Safely in the bathroom, Serena changed into her jeans and T-  
  
Shirt. She had brought it with her incase of emergency. And, this was   
  
definitely emergency. She placed Mina's jean outfit into the bag that   
  
held her dress for the dance, and hastily washed her face in the sink   
  
of the mall's girl's bathroom.   
  
Why did Darien have to show up. Not now! Not when she didn't have   
  
her boobs taped and her cap on. She had to do something. She hastily   
  
French braided her hair, and hoped for the best. With that, she walked   
  
out of the bathroom.  
  
Darien saw Serena approach. She was biting her nails which meant   
  
that she was nervous. Darien didn't have any idea why.  
  
Serena came up to the table. "Sorry I'm late guys." she said.  
  
"We weren't expecting you Serena." Darien replied, casting a   
  
questioning glance in Serena's direction.  
  
Serena looked at Darien in his blue t-shit that read 'Playa' and   
  
his baggy jeans looking so masculine and beautiful to her that her   
  
heart nearly burst.  
  
Serena smiled, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "I wasn't   
  
talking about you dork. I was talking to the g-girls.".  
  
Darien cast a bewildered glance at the four girls who were   
  
looking innocently his way. He lifted up an inquiring eyebrow.  
  
"Serena was with you?" he said, his voice clearly stating that he   
  
was confused.  
  
Mina smiled, knowing she looked her part. "Of course Darien. She   
  
was going to go shopping with us today because she was planning on   
  
going to the dance tonight."  
  
Darien turned to look at Serena who was glaring at Mina. Then,   
  
her glare disappeared and she smiled sheepishly at Darien.  
  
"You're," he said, obviously not believing, "going to the dance?"  
  
"Yes, I'm going to the Dance Darien." she said, angered that he   
  
sounded to clueless. She wasn't a lesbian or anything.  
  
"With who?" he was still unconvinced.  
  
"No one you know." She wanted to smack that overbearing smirk off of his know-it-all face. "You'll meet him at the dance." Clearly brushing the subject away, Serena   
  
turned to the girls, "I'm hungry, so let's eat first, then shop."  
  
"Make sure you don't wear a tux." Darien muttered, chuckling to   
  
himself.   
  
Serena gasped and glared at her former best friend. He was being   
  
spiteful on purpose and for no reason that she could fathom. His   
  
midnight blue eyes were dark under his cap and she wanted to scream,   
  
hit him, anything but stand there looking hurt and offended.   
  
Darien didn't know why he suddenly felt angered at the thought of   
  
Serena going to the Dance with some guy. She was his best friend Damn   
  
it! She wasn't supposed to turn all like this on him. She never went to   
  
a dance in her life and now she was acting as if he were in the wrong   
  
for questioning her. What a load of bullshit.   
  
"I think I'm going to get a corndog," she said, obviously miffed,   
  
and stalked to Corn Dog on a Stick.  
  
Mina surveyed the entire encounter with matchmaker's eyes.   
  
Darien was jealous and he didn't even know it. He was in for the   
  
surprise of his life. And, she couldn't wait to see the fireworks.  
  
"I think we should go and get our lunch," Mina said, motioning   
  
for the rest of the girls to come along.  
  
Darien just stared after Serena, oblivious to the other girls.   
  
His best friend was becoming a mystery to him. What had happened to his   
  
Serena?  
  
His Serena?!?!? Darien shook his head in resignation. He must be   
  
going crazy. His Serena? More like his best friend who had changed on   
  
him. He barely knew the one person he thought he knew best in the   
  
world. Serena had changed on him and he was afraid of what the effects   
  
were going to be.   
  
Serena stared at the menu on the wall of Corn Dog on a Stick, not   
  
really reading but thinking. Darien was an asshole. There was no   
  
thought about that. He was making fun of her because she was going to   
  
the dance. Well big surprise.   
  
Almost to the front of the line, Serena glared at nothing in   
  
particular. When she reached the front she saw the employee with the   
  
funny Yellow hat on his head, freckles, and thick glasses take   
  
tentative steps back. Realizing that she was still glaring, She gave   
  
the nervous server a brilliant smile which had him retreating a couple   
  
of steps more just from the brilliance of it. Seeing his reaction and   
  
thinking the worst, Serena sighed in defeat and ordered.  
  
She was back at the table while Mina, Raye, Ami, and Lita were in   
  
line, along with Ken who insisted on accompanying Lita to get her   
  
lunch.   
  
Darien sat there, staring straight ahead, clearly brooding and   
  
Serena decided this was the perfect opportunity to talk to him.   
  
Hopefully, she thought, crossing her fingers, he would be calm now and   
  
not insult her this time. She took a deep breath and occupied the seat   
  
across from him. She set her corndog down and looked up to see Darien   
  
looking at her in a weird way, as if he were studying her.   
  
Serena blushed but looked back at her corndog to cover it up.   
  
"Serena, where is my best friend?". His voice was so melancholy   
  
that Serena abruptly looked up, alarm on her face. What had she done??   
  
All she wanted to do was make her Best friend see her as she the female   
  
she never was. And now, she didn't know what to do.  
  
"Darien," she started, trying to come up with the words from her   
  
heart, "I am the same as I always was. Why do you think I've changed?"  
  
"Your going to a dance and if I remember correctly, you had said   
  
once, in what now seems like a million years ago, 'I'll never go to one   
  
of those things. Leave that to those prissy girls. I don't have time'.   
  
Your changing and I cant really recognize you, I mean I never realized-  
  
" he broke looking anywhere but at Serena, not knowing quite how to put   
  
it. "I never thought-"  
  
Serena accomplished the impossible by forming a gentle smile on   
  
her face. What she really wanted to do was cry.  
  
"You never thought I would start acting female or something   
  
Darien?". His eyes still avoided her face and Serena suddenly knew the   
  
answer. She had become the woman that was hiding beneath the Tomboy and   
  
he couldn't understand it. Her eyes filled but no tears came out.  
  
When Darien heard Serena take a ragged breath filled with unshed   
  
tears, he looked at her. And he really looked at her. She was different   
  
somehow. Her violet eyes were huge in her face, shining with unshed   
  
tears. Her face was full of sadness and other emotions Darien couldn't   
  
identify. Her blond hair was long and golden; tiny wisps escaped from her french braid and floated wildly around her face.   
  
Her hair?!?  
  
Darien took in a startled gasp. So that was what she was hiding   
  
all this time under her cap. Her golden wavy, long hair. Her hair was   
  
undoubtedly the most beautiful hair he had ever seen on a woman-err..   
  
girl. He shook his head in exasperation. Serena had been hiding this   
  
for some reason unknown to him. And, she looked… he had to admit it.   
  
Beautiful.  
  
"Serena," he said, anger seething out of him for this change in   
  
his best friend, "when did this happen to your hair?"  
  
Serena sighed. Changing the subject again?? She touched her cap   
  
and ran a hand down and only then did she realize her carefully braided   
  
hair had come apart. She gasped and held a hand over mouth.   
  
"Umm," she said, casting distracted glances toward her new   
  
friends who were coming toward the table. "Well-"  
  
"Never mind Serena. I don't want to know," he said, then angrily   
  
got up from the table and stalked away. 


	11. Serena who?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
"What's that for? And what are you going to do with that? Do you   
  
really have to put that on my face? Are you sure you have to use that   
  
electric thing on my hair? What ever the hell you thought you were   
  
going to do with that you better reevaluate it. Ouch!! You didn't tell   
  
me it would hurt dammit!? What the-" and on and on went Serena's   
  
compliants as Raye attempted to do her make up, Lita wax her legs, Mina   
  
do her hair, and Amy pluck her eyebrows.   
  
Everyone was in action getting Serena ready for the Dance. Serena   
  
was in a frenzy having these supermodels do their female rituals on her   
  
and she was getting angry. She closed her eyes to take a calming breath   
  
only to have Amy complain that she was moving too much. She tried to   
  
reply only to have Raye tell not to move her lips. Serena shook her   
  
head in exasperation and got a curse from Mina who almost burnt herself   
  
with the curling iron. She screamed again as Lita pulled the waxing   
  
tape off of her legs. Damn!! So this was what it was like in hell.   
  
After what seemed like eternity, the girls had finished with   
  
Serena and ready to walk out of the door at 7:00. And everyone was   
  
quite proud with their finished product of Serena.  
  
She was beautiful tonight, Serena had to admit it. She looked   
  
like those supermodels she had always named everyone else and it was   
  
all due to the hell of makeup. She looked in the mirror as everyone   
  
else made finishing touches on makeup and clothing and hair.   
  
Her eyelids were lightly dusted with a lavender eye shadow,   
  
bringing out her eyes. She had black mascara that outlined her eyes   
  
making them appear bigger. There was a mixture of lip gloss and pink   
  
lip liner that made her lips a unique shade of pink. They looked full   
  
and luscious. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail atop her head with   
  
curls dangling about, landing at the middle of her back. There was hair   
  
down in the back of her head in "curly ring" curls.  
  
Mina mentally rubbed her hands in glee. Darien was going to fall   
  
out of his shoes when he saw Serena. But he wouldn't recognize her in   
  
her purple feathered mask. But when he would find out that it was   
  
Serena, she suspected he would probably have a heart attack. She   
  
laughed out loud and beckoned to the call of Raye. They had rented a   
  
Limo and it was waiting outside Mina's house.   
  
Serena wrung her hands together thinking about the dance. Her   
  
first dance ever.   
  
"Come on Serena. It's time to go." Lita walked up to her,   
  
grabbing her hand and pulling her to the door. She was dressed in a   
  
green silk dress, her beautiful brown hair down with ribbons scattered   
  
around.  
  
She didn't really apply all that much make up and truth be told, she   
  
thought Serena could have looked equally beautiful going to the dance   
  
with no make up at all. It was at Ami's insistence that she applied the   
  
very small amount. Amy had informed everyone that Serena was lacking   
  
self esteem and wouldn't believe that she looked nice unless she had   
  
some excuse to reason why she saw herself look pretty.   
  
Raye grabbed Chad's hand and lead him to the limo while everyone   
  
else followed suit. Well, Raye thought, smiling at nothing in   
  
particular, Darien would be in for a big surprise.  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~**~*~~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~  
  
Serena didn't know much about Seiya but one thing she could say   
  
was that he was great, and he was the first guy who ever treated her like   
  
a girl. It felt wonderful, with all of these new gestures.   
  
For instance, at the resuraunt, he actually pulled out her chair   
  
for her. He kissed her hand when she sat down, and he payed for her   
  
meal without it being because of a bet. HE was charming and funny and   
  
smiled at her and complimented her endlessly.   
  
Now they were at the Dance, and Seiya was holding her hand as   
  
they walked down the stairs to the dance floor. They were playing one   
  
Jennifer Lopez's "If I you had my love" and the floor was crowded.  
  
Serena smiled at Seiya as he guided her through the crowd of   
  
people. The girls were right behind her, trying to find their table.   
  
Seiya turned to Serena, a debonair smile on his charming face.   
  
Lifting a questing eyesbrow, he gestured to the dance floor. Serena   
  
nodded her head, and took a deep breath. She would have to remember all   
  
of the Dances the girls had taught her. She started to bit her lip but   
  
tasted the lipstick and quickly stopped.  
  
The song changed to a slow dance. It was an oldie, Whitney   
  
Houston's "I will always love you". Serena grabbed onto Seiya's   
  
shoulders as he lead her in the dance and to her supprise, she danced   
  
with no mistakes. She mentally praised herself as she searched the   
  
floor for Darien. She saw him looking dancning with his beauty queen of   
  
the week, Krystal. Serena sighed whistfully and snuggled deeper into   
  
seiya's arms.   
  
She closed her eyes and listned to the song wishing that Darien   
  
would always love her. And at this moment, she fully acknowledged and   
  
accepted the fact that she was indeed in love with her best friend.   
  
She felt Seiya's arms tighten about her waist but not it wasn't   
  
alarming. She continued swaying to the music.  
  
  
  
Darien was bored. He came to this dance at Krystal's insitence   
  
but he was quite bored with this girlfriend and wanted to end this one   
  
ASAP. Krystal just wasn't it for him and she bored him to tears.   
  
Suppressing a yawn, Darien searched the dance floor. Didn't   
  
Serena say she was coming? He looked around and saw a nice couple, a   
  
beautiful blond breath taker, with a dark haired guy. She   
  
reminded him of someone.   
  
Darien looked beyond the couple and searched the crowd for   
  
Serena. He had a nagging sense about the couple and something was going   
  
off in his brain. What was it about the blond? Why did he feel as if he   
  
knew her? And then it hit him. He saw her look up over her date's   
  
shoulder and their eyes met.  
  
Serena gasped. She didn't expect Darien to be looking at her but   
  
here he was. And he had the strangest look on his face. She sucked in a   
  
breath.   
  
"What's wrong Serena?" asked Seiya, sensing her discomfort.  
  
She looked up at him and smiled at the worry she read in his   
  
eyes. HE was so sweet. Too bad he wasn't Darien.   
  
"Oh nothing. I just think you're a great dancer,"  
  
Seiya's smiled and Serena had to admit that if she weren't in   
  
love with Darien, he would be her first choice.   
  
"You think I'm a great dancer do ya Blondie? You aren't too bad   
  
yourself beautiful," he said, and Serena laughed at being referred to   
  
as beautiful.  
  
"Yeah, whatever Seiya," she said and snuggled into his embrace   
  
once again. The picture of surprise in Darien's eyes replayed itself in   
  
her mind as she continued to dance. Damn Darien for making her   
  
uncomfortable on her first Date.  
  
  
  
Darien was beyond anger. He was furious and a part of himself watched helplessly as his temper exploded. Serena was flirting, actually flirting with some guy he   
  
didn't even know. She saw him bestow her heart stopping smile on him,   
  
laugh, and snuggle closer into him. When the fuck did she learn to do   
  
that?  
  
Without another thought, Darien stalked up to the couple. HE   
  
place a hand on Serena's date, which had both of the unsuspecting   
  
people abruptly jumping and looking at him.   
  
"Serena?" he said, his voce as lost as his mind.  
  
"Darien?" Serena mimicked. He was ruining everything. At this   
  
moment, Serena didn't give a damn about her love for him. He was   
  
ruining her first date ever. Damn him!!  
  
"What the hell Serena!" he yelled. Suddenly, there was a crowd   
  
gathering about the three.  
  
Incensed, Serena glared at Darien from over Seiya's shoulder.   
  
"What the everlasting hell Darien. What the fu-" she heard a cough and   
  
realized that her friends were near, Mina glaring at her accusingly. "I   
  
mean, what the hell do you think your doing?"  
  
Mina smiled. The fireworks had just begun. Raye's eyes sparkled   
  
as she watched the scene and she wished she had some popcorn. Lita was   
  
refraining from laughing and smiled through her hand that was covering   
  
her mouth. Amy was obviously worried and when she tried to go up to   
  
Serena, Mina and Raye purposefully blocked her way.   
  
"When did this," he said gesturing toward her appearance,   
  
"happen?"  
  
Serena wanted to cry. What was with that "this" he had said about   
  
her appearance as if she were some kind of slug. Serena realized she   
  
wanted to cry and it only made her more angry even as the tears filled   
  
her eyes.  
  
"Darien, you are really buggin ya know? Now I'm wearing a dress   
  
and you think I'm some kind of bozo. What is with you?"  
  
Distressed, Darien cast a glance at Seiya who was gaining fury by   
  
the minute. HE didn't' know who this nut was who was insulting his date   
  
but he didn't like it one bit. Didn't this jerk see how he was hurting   
  
Serena. And, Serena obviously had some kind of feelings for this man   
  
who was unworthy of her love. He wanted to punch this Darien guy but he   
  
wasn't quite that furious yet to mess up everything he had with Serena.  
  
"What is with you jerk? Cant you see your hurting her?" came   
  
Seiya's harsh voice.  
  
Darien stared at Serena who's eyes shone with tears almost   
  
spilling over. His stomach clenched and he felt helpless. His life was   
  
perfect until a week ago. Now, he finds his best friend in a dress,   
  
looking like the most beautiful woman at the dance and he had no clue.   
  
Never had he noticed. He should have had some clue. Serena was   
  
beautiful but what had happened to his best friend. This feminine   
  
"snuggler" was not anyone he was used to and he was genuinely afraid.   
  
HE wanted to shout to the heavens. He wanted to get down on his knees   
  
and pray for his best friend back.   
  
And, now, as he stared at the tears spilling over Serena   
  
porcelain face with the overlarge violet eyes and perfect little nose   
  
with the luscious lips, he wanted to cry himself.  
  
"Serena," he said, his voice squeaking and strangely weak, "what   
  
happened to you?"  
  
"I changed, Darien."   
  
Serena no longer cared that she was crying or that Darien was   
  
looking like the most handsome man in the world in his tux. She didn't   
  
care that she was the center of attention or that the music had   
  
stopped. She didn't care about her mascara running or Seiya worrying   
  
over her tears. All she cared about was the one thing she definitely   
  
wouldn't be receiving. Love.  
  
She looked at Darien, her best friend, her one true love. She   
  
listened to the lyrics of Whitney Houston's song in her head.  
  
"If I should stay   
  
I would only be in your way  
  
So I'll go but I know  
  
I'll think of you every step of the way  
  
And I will always love you…"  
  
The tears fell silently down Serena's face. She wanted to run.   
  
She wanted to stay away from him forever. She wanted to wave goodbye   
  
and leave the dance with some modicum of dignity. But all that came   
  
from her was the final blow to Darien.  
  
"I love you." Serena stared deep into Darien's eyes. "I fell in   
  
love with my best friend," she whispered softly.  
  
Darien felt his stomach twist and turn in a myriad of movements.   
  
He didn't know what he was feeling. HE was panicked. "What are you   
  
saying Serena?" his voice was barely above a whisper.  
  
"I have loved you forever. I changed because I couldn't hide   
  
behind guys clothing anymore. You always saw me as a guy and I just   
  
wanted… to do something to show you that I'm not a girl," she looked   
  
away. Then she looked up quickly as if realizing for the first time   
  
that Seiya was there.  
  
"I'm soo sorry Seiya. I hope I didn't hurt you,"   
  
He held her hand in his and covered it with his other hand, then   
  
smiled gently at Serena, looking deep into her eyes.   
  
"My only regret is that this jerk treated you horribly," he said,   
  
then smiled wistfully, "If only we had met before… Serena. I wish you   
  
the best,"   
  
Serena felt a new batch of tears building up in her eyes. Then   
  
she looked toward her group, Mina and Raye in tears, Amy handing them   
  
tissues, and Lita burying her tears in Ken's chest.  
  
"I have to go guys. I-I cant stay here," she said and ran off.  
  
"Serena wait!!" yelled Darien, not quite ready to have her leave.   
  
His heart, mind, and soul were still in a jumble. He didn't want to   
  
acknowledge the loss he felt as the doors to the Dance closed with a   
  
final thud.   
  
Darien felt Krystal's hand on his shoulder and heard her ask him   
  
to take her home. He agreed heartily and left the dance with Serena   
  
still on his mind.  
  
"Wait! I think you might be needing this," Darien turned to see   
  
Seiya holding a purple purse. Seiya's eyes held knowledge of acceptance   
  
and a threatening steel formed. Darien looked at the purse blankly.  
  
Seiya lifted an eyebrow. Obviously, Serena didn't usually carry a   
  
purse. He sighed and gave Darien a reassuring smile. For some reason,   
  
he felt equally bad for Serena and Darien and he wanted to help. He   
  
held out the purse.  
  
"It's Serena's purse. I think she left her keys in it and she   
  
probably wont be able to get in her house without it,"  
  
Darien's eyes were full of thanks as he took the purse from   
  
Seiya. Serena's date wasn't such a bad guy. The misery returned to his   
  
eyes as he thought of Serena. HE remembered her mournful face, the   
  
yearning in her eyes as she told him that she loved him. And, he didn't   
  
know what on earth to do. 


	12. I love you too?

The tears ran down Serena's face, running her new make up,   
  
downing her entire appearance. She didn't care. It was hard to run in   
  
her high heels and it was also something she wasn't entirely used to. She tripped,   
  
fell to the ground, and kept running. She gave no thought to her dress   
  
or her shoes or anything but the fact that her best friend had just   
  
ruined her life. And she had told him that she loved him.  
  
The tears ran down faster. Serena wasn't used to crying and the   
  
heartache she felt building was telling that she wouldn't do this   
  
anymore. Not that she could help it this time.   
  
She ran a good 1 ½ miles to her house and arrived 35 minutes   
  
later. Serena limped to the door, her feet barely able to hold her up.   
  
She was still heartbroken and decided that the suffering of her feet   
  
was punishment enough for her stupidity. She was still dwelling on the   
  
fact the she had told Darien she loved him.   
  
Limping to the door, she felt for a pocket in her dress to get   
  
her keys. She frowned when she didn't immediately find anything. There   
  
had to be a pocket in this dress. Sweat was pouring down Serena's   
  
forehead as she realized her blunder and she cursed under breath. She   
  
didn't have any pocket's in the damn dress. She wanted to rip the dress   
  
to shreds she was so angry.  
  
Serena almost cried just for the pitiful state she was in. Her   
  
hair was hot and drenched in her sweat from running. Her precious   
  
purple high heels were coming apart and her feet hurt like hell. Her   
  
dress somehow managed to survive the whole endeavor, much to Serena's   
  
anger, and she was sore.   
  
Exausted and too angry to do anything else, Serena sat on her   
  
porch bench. It was a swing bench painted white, and Serena was   
  
thankful for it. She didn't want to go and get her purse. She wanted to   
  
die. Asking god for a moment of peace, Serena closed her eyes on the   
  
porch swing.   
  
She didn't hear the car pull up, nor did she hear the door close   
  
in the red convertible.  
  
Darien got out of his red convertible, purse in hand and looked   
  
to the porch to see Serena, beautiful in her purple dress, lying down   
  
on the seat. Careful not to make any noise, Darien walked up to Serena.   
  
Her curls were less of a curl and looked wavy. Her hair was still in   
  
the style she had it at the dance. Darien thought she looked beautiful.  
  
'I love you'. Darien saw the whole scene in his head for the   
  
thousandth time that night and he felt the familiar clenching in his   
  
stomach. Serena loved him. His best friend, who punched him in the nose   
  
when he called her a sissy in the third grade. The one who knew all of   
  
his tricks in basketball. The one who always cheated in football. The   
  
one…  
  
Darien groaned deep in his throat and heard Serena's dress   
  
ruffle. Uh-oh, he thought as he saw her slowly open her eyes. He braced   
  
himself, ready for any and everything.  
  
Serena blinked several times and winced at the pain in her feet.   
  
Damn shoes! She realized she must have fell down when she fell alsleep   
  
and slowly lifted herself up. The sight that met her eyes made her want   
  
to dissapear.  
  
Darien was in front of her, immaculately dressed in the same tux   
  
from the dance. His hair was dishieveled making him more handsome than   
  
ususal. He looked taller and Serena suddenly felt… intimidated.   
  
Somtehing she never felt from Darien. She remembered her declaration of   
  
love and groaned.   
  
She looked up into his face and saw his piercing blue eyes   
  
staring straight back into hers. She sucked in a breath and hoped her   
  
face didn't betray her.   
  
"Darien," she said as she lifted a timid hand to her face, "I'm   
  
sorry," she whispered. She felt her eyes fill and determinedly stoped   
  
the waterworks. No more tears for her. That was over and done with.  
  
Darien was studying Serena and Serena had a sudden urge to check   
  
her hair. She almost laughed, it was so absurd. She never even thought   
  
about her hair. Not until about 7 days ago, Serena reminded herself.   
  
Darien's face was blank, devoid of any emotion. Serena wanted to   
  
make him say anything, not just study her like she was…   
  
Serena felt nauseous. She wanted to cry again. She realized that   
  
he was rejecting her. He didn't like her anymore. He didn't even want   
  
to be her friend. Serena closed her eyes, still aware of Darien's   
  
intense study. He just had to be her friend. She felt a pang of worry   
  
in her stomach at just the thought of losing her best friend. If only   
  
he would forget what she said, maybe he would be her friend.   
  
Serena stopped herself in her train of thought. What the hell was   
  
she doing? She was acting like some witless female. NO, this was   
  
unacceptable. She couldn't go around thinking like some weak wiled female. Girls clothing   
  
didn't change personalities. Wearing a dress didn't mean that she wasn't the same person.  
  
Angered that Darien would jeopardize their friendship   
  
just because of her declaration of love, she jumped up.  
  
Anger sparked in her eyes.  
  
"Who the fuck do you think you are Darien Endymion Shields?? What   
  
the fuck do you think your doing?!? I mean I did say that I loved you   
  
but it doesn't mean you have to throw our whole friendship away. Just   
  
because something as simple as words and some feelings came between us   
  
doesn't mean anything you hear?"   
  
Darien smiled. Ah, he thought in relief, his Serena was back. He   
  
opened his mouth to say something but Serena was on a roll.  
  
"And I don't care if you don't love me either. I can accept it.   
  
But, we have been friends forever and your not going to change all of   
  
that just because I admitted my feelings for you. I'll probably get   
  
over it. It doesn't matter,"  
  
Darien opened his mouth again but it was no use. Serena continued   
  
on.  
  
"And if you think that just because I'm' in a stupid dress and I   
  
don't have a fucking hat on that your some kind of male superior, think   
  
again. I ran 1 1/2 miles in these shoes," she said gesturing to her   
  
worn out shoes, "and I can still kick your ass. Well, maybe not kick it   
  
all the way but I can get in a few blows. And you better stop looking   
  
at me like whatever because you are becoming quite the bastard Darien.   
  
I mean, you were just looking at me like... I don't even know but I   
  
know it wasn't good… was it?"  
  
Darien couldn't help it. He laughed. When he saw Serena's face,   
  
he laughed again. He clutched his sides and fell onto the bench beside   
  
her.   
  
"What the fuck is so funny Darien?" Serena was angered beyond   
  
words and she had her haughty I am better you look on. Darien smiled at   
  
Serena and she was suddenly relieved that she wasn't standing up for   
  
she would have fell to the chair, her knees felt like jelly.   
  
He smiled at her tenderly. "Serena," he said, looking at her with   
  
feelings that Serena couldn't read in his eyes. "I will always be your   
  
best friend,"  
  
Serena smiled tremendously and Darien suddenly felt a click. His   
  
heart warmed up and he realized why he didn't like any of his other   
  
girlfriends. They werent Serena and they would never measure up to Serena.  
  
Serena was the one he wanted. She was his missing link.   
  
She didn't make him yearn for more or feel as if the relationship was   
  
missing that something like all of his other girlfriends did.   
  
The love shone in his eyes as he looked at Serena. "Serena, I   
  
think I love you too," he said, his voice gentle.  
  
Tears filled Serena's eyes, not of sadness but of happiness.   
  
Darien loved her? Her best friend was in love with her too? This was   
  
too great.   
  
Darien's head moved toward Serena's and he brought his head down   
  
to kiss her. Their lips met and they both heard a faint clink. I love   
  
you, they both thought, and sank deeper into the kiss.   
  
  
  
THE END???? 


	13. Epliogue

"Ready, Set, Hike."   
  
Quick as lightning, Serena had the ball. She found an opening between   
  
two players on the other team and quickly slipped past them making it to the   
  
60-yard line. She didn't have to see to know that Darien was behind her. And   
  
he was gaining. With a last burst of speed, she made it past the 70-yard   
  
line, then was tackled.  
  
They rolled on the ground and found themselves in a situation similar   
  
to one they had been in before. Serena smirked at him, her golden blond hair   
  
fanned around her face. Her hat was lost somewhere on the field.  
  
"Well, Dare, you got me." She ran a finger down his shirt, "Now what   
  
are you going to do?"  
  
Darien smiled wickedly, a jet black lock falling over his face.   
  
"What I wanted to do the last time I tackled you." He bent down and   
  
captured her lips. Sweet like strawberries.   
  
And then they were interrupted by an irritated call.  
  
"Darien, if all you're ever going to do with the quarterback after   
  
tackling her is kiss her, your eliminated from the game." Andrew stomped his   
  
foot angrily on the ground. "No, both of you are eliminated."  
  
Darien grinned and pulled Serena and himself off of the ground.   
  
"What about you and Mina? Don't you think it's a little unfair when you   
  
wont even attempt to tackle your girlfriend?"  
  
Andrew blushed. Mina, dressed in a stylish football jersey and black   
  
spandex, ran to the rescue. "Don't listen to them Andrew," She cooed, "I   
  
didn't want to play this stupid game anyways." She held out her prettily   
  
manicured hand and pointed to a chipped fingernail. "Just look what it did!"  
  
Andrew rolled his eyes and ignored the amusement visibly apparent in   
  
Darien's eyes.   
  
"Mina, Mina, Mina," Serena chided, pulling Darien's arm around her   
  
shoulder, "Will you never learn?"   
  
"It's time to go!!"   
  
They all turned to see a furious Raye followed by Lita and Amy. She was   
  
covered from head to toe in fresh mud. She narrowed her eyes.   
  
"Serena, I did this for you but I will never, I mean NEVER play   
  
football again if that idiot Chad is playing. Who does he think he is?" She   
  
ran her hand across her face, creating a fresh smudge, then stalked off,   
  
muttering to herself.   
  
Amy smiled while Lita whistled and raised her eyebrows.   
  
"Don't worry," Amy said, placing a hand on Serena's shoulder, "She's   
  
just coming to grips with her mixed emotions towards Chad. Her anger is only   
  
a defense mechanism."   
  
Serena smiled and nodded, watching as Amy went to catch up with Raye.   
  
She would never understand a word that came out of Amy's mouth but she was a   
  
nice girl anyways.   
  
Lita, understanding, grinned. "What Amy is trying to say is that Raye   
  
has the hots for Chad." Lita started to walk off, then caught Serena's   
  
confused stare. "Oh, Chad didn't push her into the mud, she tripped." The   
  
sound of Lita's laughter trailed after her.   
  
Serena sighed, leaning in closer to Darien.  
  
"Now what are we going to do? Everyone's leaving!"   
  
Darien grinned and Serena couldn't help her heart from fluttering. He   
  
looked so devastating, so… She sighed again. He lifted an eyebrow at that   
  
then leaned down to whisper in her ear.  
  
"I guess we'll just have to play one-on-one."   
  
"Oh yeah?" Serena said, grinning.  
  
"Yeah," Darien said. "Now where did I put that Basketball?"   
  
Serena laughed and punched him in the arm.   
  
They walked hand in hand towards Darien's car. They couldn't have   
  
imagined this being like this even three weeks ago. His best friend who he   
  
thought he had known all of his life was now the love of his life. He shook   
  
his head, who would of thought? He still wasn't used to her new look, even   
  
when she wore her old sports clothes. She stopped taping her breasts and he   
  
couldn't help but stare at times. Especially when they were playing   
  
basketball. And then her hair, the beautiful golden tresses were no longer   
  
hidden under her cap. Rather, she let it fall in an sport like ponytail out   
  
of the back of her hat.   
  
She hadn't changed completely, thank god. She didn't wear dresses and   
  
wore skirts rarely. But when she did, oh what a sight. She was the perfect   
  
combination and he now understood her. He hoped.  
  
Serena smiled up at him and caught him staring at her. "What?" she   
  
said, arching a nicely plucked eyebrow. "Is there something on my face?"  
  
"No," He said, and kissed her lightly upon her nose.   
  
"I love you Darien."   
  
"I love you too."  
  
This is the end guys. No more. Thank you all you faithful readers, but this   
  
adventure has come to an end. Say goodbye to the tomboy and her best friend.   
  
*Tears fall* I love you guys.  
  
Copyright Dreameress 2003/2004 


End file.
